Nerima Journals
by MZephyr
Summary: RanmaxAkane. The lives of Ranma and Akane as seen through their journal entries.
1. The Days Before

**Nerima Journals  
By M. Zephyr**

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is a trademark of Rumiko Takahashi and VIZ Communications, and its characters have been borrowed without permission. This story was written for non-commercial purposes only.

Ranma x Akane. The lives of Ranma and Akane as seen through their journal entries. What is reproduced here is only a selection of entries from their journals.

Pre-story note:  
This is not precisely a story. Rather it is a look at Akane's and Ranma's lives from the manga, as seen through their own eyes. It will follow the timeline for events which is found on my web site.

I will be adding to this as the mood takes me, and I make no promises that I will complete it. Although I may add descriptions of additional events, it will follow what happens in the manga. I will also be posting this without benefit of thorough pre-reading. I feel that any mistakes which slip through, in either spelling or grammar, or any other form of awkwardness in the writing, will only lend verisimilitude as what might be expected from Akane's or Ranma's writing. If anything, the problem will be to keep it from being _too_ well-written.

* * *

**Chapter 1. The Days Before**

**Akane's Journal** : _Sun - 8 Apr_

Tomorrow is my first day of high school. I'm so excited! I'll be going to Furinkan High. Yuka and Sayuri will be going there too. The only drawback is that Nabiki also goes there. Oh well. It's not like Nabiki and I will have to see each other much. Although I suppose we'll walk to school and back home together most days.

I've been to the school a few times before, since Kasumi went to school there, and Nabiki has been going there for the last year. Mostly it was for school events they were in. It looks like a nice enough place, I guess. Not very new though.

My homeroom is on the third floor, class 1-F. I'll be taking math, Japanese, history, English and biology. Although biology will be in the lab instead of the homeroom sometimes. I'll also have gym (yay!) and home ec (boo!). I hope home ec won't be too terrible. I'm kind of worried about it.

The school uniform, ugh! Of course, I've mentioned that before, when I was talking about Kasumi's or Nabiki's uniforms. Now I have to wear the thing! Who in the world designed it? It's hard to imagine that they could have made it any uglier. Sigh.

I wonder if there will be any cute boys in my class? I don't want to think about how Nabiki would tease me if she knew I thought about something like that. I don't think I even want Kasumi to know. Of course, I'm not planning to start dating yet, or anything. What with homework and martial arts training, I just don't have time for a boyfriend. Someday though ...

**Akane's Journal** : _Mon - 9 Apr_

My classes at Furinkan seem to be okay, at least for the first day. Unfortunately, there are the boys. At first I was thinking that some of them looked pretty nice, but then I noticed they were all staring at me! Leering! Honestly! They made me feel like I'd forgotten to put any clothes on! I hope it's just some sort of first day idiocy and that they'll start behaving themselves. I don't think I'd like the idea of spending the next three years in a school full of perverts.

Nabiki and I did walk to school and back home together. Some of the older girls seemed a little cool to me when they found out Nabiki was my sister. I hope her reputation isn't going to rub off on me too much.

The teachers gave us a lot of homework! And it's only the first day! I always thought I was good in English, but the teacher seems pretty strict, and I think it's going to be a lot harder than I was expecting. I was pretty nervous in home ec, but we didn't do any cooking today. We're supposed to pick up our gym uniforms tomorrow.

**Akane's Journal** : _Tue - 10 Apr_

Groan! The boys were just as bad today. Ogling me! Yuck! I almost hauled off and punched one of them when I caught him walking behind me, staring at my bottom.

We got our uniforms for gym today. Sheesh. The people running the school must be as perverted as the boys who go to the school. I don't think they could have made the shorts any shorter unless they turned them into a belt.

Had a little accident with an egg and a microwave oven in home ec today. Don't want to talk about it.

Yuka and Sayuri and I sit together for lunch. Some other girls joined us today. They seem pretty nice. If it weren't for the boys and home ec, I think I'd really be enjoying myself.

**Akane's Journal** : _Thu - 12 Apr_

A boy in Nabiki's class came up to me during lunch today and asked me out on a date. His name is Tatewaki Kuno. He's pretty handsome, but I don't know - something just seemed off about him. Maybe it was the way he talked. It was pretty weird, like he stepped out of an old samurai movie.

Anyway, I turned him down, as nicely as I could. He gave me a funny look when I did, as if I was just kidding when I turned him down. Kind of creepy, really. I hope he doesn't try to ask me out again.

I'm beginning to think I don't trust any of the boys at this school. I don't want to go out with anyone unless the boy shows me he respects me first, that he's not a pervert like all the others. Besides, like I said before, I don't have time for a boyfriend or dating right now.

I don't want to talk about home ec again today.

My homeroom teacher came by for the home visit today. Daddy embarrassed me by crying, but I think Kasumi impressed him. Anyway, he said everything seemed fine before he left. I've got to go and finish my English homework.

**Akane's Journal** : _Fri - 13 Apr_

I don't believe it. I really don't believe it. I don't think I've ever been so embarrassed in my life. And considering some of the things that daddy's done, that's saying something.

We had an assembly in school today. Announcements to wrap up the end of the first week in school. When it was done, that boy from Nabiki's class, make that that jerk from Nabiki's class, Tatewaki Kuno, just walked up onto the stage and nobody stopped him! He walked right up to the microphone and told everyone - everyone! - and I quote, "I have an announcement for all of the male students. If you wish to date Akane Tendo, you must first defeat her! I will permit no other terms!"

Can you believe that! Who does he think he is! Trying to tell me who I can and cannot date! I am so mad right now! Not that I want to date any of those jerks who go to Furinkan, but still! As soon as that Kuno idiot came down off the stage, I marched right up to him and punched him so hard that he landed right back on the stage!

At least all the boys got the message that Kuno doesn't have any say over who I date!

**Ranma's Journal** : _Fri - 13 Apr_

Well, it's my birthday again. Sixteen. Four more years, and I can take off on my own. Sometimes I think that day is never gonna arrive. Not that pops is all bad. He has taught me a lot. But he's done a lot of stupid things too. I'd rather make and fix my own mistakes, instead of trying to fix his.

Pop celebrated my birthday like he always does, by not stealing my food, and by giving me a harder workout than usual. The master of the dojo we're at gave me a pair of wrist bands. They're kinda cool, I'm wearing them right now. The master's birthday is Sunday. Everyone here is preparing for a pretty big party to celebrate.

I asked pop when we're going back to Japan. He said not for a while yet, end of summer at the earliest. Fine by me. I'm learning a lot of neat stuff here. I hope we can stay for a while.

**Ranma's Journal** : _Sat - 14 Apr_

Pop got us tossed out of the dojo today, so we're on the road again. What else is new? That's the fifth dojo in China that we've been asked to leave, so far. The dummy had to go and eat all the food that had been prepared for the master's birthday. Just a day after I turned sixteen, too. Fine way to celebrate my own birthday.

We're heading west again, aiming for the Qinghai province. Pop says there's a famous training ground there, according to his guidebook, up in the Bayankala mountains or some such place. I wonder if he'll even be able to find it?

China has been pretty cool so far. I've learned a lot from the places we visited, even if we never had a chance to stay long at any of them. I'm starting to feel like I'm not learning so much from pop anymore, though. Sometimes I wish he'd drop me off at one of these dojos and then take himself off somewhere for a few months. Then maybe I'd have a better chance to learn everything they had to teach.

Some Chinese girl was making eyes at me again today. I couldn't understand a word she was saying, of course. Kind of cute, but I'd rather she left me alone. I don't have time for a girlfriend, I need it all for my training. Besides, if I'm going to pay attention to any girl, it's going to be with honorable intentions, not a quick kiss before we head out of town. When I finally settle down, many years from now I hope, it'll be with someone who's Japanese like me.

**Akane's Journal** : _Mon - 16 Apr_

My hand is shaking so hard with anger I can barely write! I've been upset all day. The speech that idiot samurai wannabe Tatewaki Kuno gave on Friday - can you believe it somehow convinced at least thirty boys to attack me before school this morning! When I saw them all charging at me - I was like, why are they attacking me, what are they doing?

Then I found out the reason! Some of the idiots were shouting it. They think that if they win, I'll go on a date with them! They seemed to think I'd be thrilled about it! How could they be so stupid! Oooh, I am so furious!

After I finished thrashing all the idiots, perv boy had the nerve to toss a rose at me and challenge me! I smashed him into the ground and left him in a crater, ha! But he was back up and around before lunch. Still, I bet they learned their lesson and won't try that again!

Too mad to write any more today.

**Akane's Journal** : _Tue - 17 Apr_

Sigh. I guess I lose my bet. They attacked again this morning, and after I beat them up, perv boy did the same thing. Tossed me a rose and challenged me. Can you believe he said he'd let me date him if I won? He really must be out of his mind. At least he was still limping when I saw him at lunchtime. I wonder how long this is going to continue? I tried to talk to the people in the office about it, but they didn't want to hear me. Feeling very frustrated right now.

Some of the girls told me Nabiki was taking bets on the fight. Figures. Not that she'd share any of the money with me.

One girl that I thought was a friend turned up her nose today and walked past me without speaking. When I caught up and demanded to know what was wrong, she acted like I wanted those boys chasing me! I tried to explain, but she wouldn't listen. I hope most of the girls have more sense than to believe something like that.

**Akane's Journal** : _Wed - 18 Apr_

I had a nightmare last night where I was fighting the boys before school, then slipped and was knocked unconscious. I don't want to talk about what happened next. I must have been making some noise, because Kasumi came to my room and woke me up and held me. I'm still very upset.

How do I get them to stop? They won't listen to me. The teachers won't do anything. I hate this. I hate them.

Is every boy a pervert? It sure seems like it. Even the ones at school who don't attack me, they still look at me like I'm just a slab of meat. How am I going to survive three years of this?

I stopped by Tofu-sensei's clinic after school. I told him I wanted him to look at my knuckles to make sure I hadn't bruised them from all the people that I hit. Really, I just wanted to talk to him. At least he's not a pervert. I wish - why can't he see me when he looks at me? All he sees is his patient, little Akane-chan. I wish I could tell him how I really feel. At least I was feeling a little better when I left. I was able to tell myself that there's at least one man I know who isn't a pervert.

**Ranma's Journal** : _Wed - 18 Apr_

We'll be starting up into the Bayankala Mountains tomorrow. I hope that pop knows where he's going. I hope he won't do anything stupid. I hope we'll be able to stay there longer this time. That is, if it's a nice place. So I hope it's a nice place.

That's a lot of hoping, but with pop, it seems necessary.

My old man has been pushing the pace pretty hard the last few days. I think it's to keep me from asking questions. I'm not sure he knows a lot about this place he's taking us to. Oh well, we'll find out more soon enough.

Not much to talk about the last few days. Just hiking across a lot of scenery. Some of it looks nice - meadows, streams, stands of trees. The towns are mostly pretty dingy though. We traded some chores for food at a farm today. Of course, that meant that I did the chores while pop "supervised." At least we have something to eat for a couple more days.

**Akane's Journal** : _Fri - 20 Apr_

It's a little hard to write on the paper because I'm getting it wet. Stupid tears, they won't stop. None of the girls want to talk to me at school, except for Yuka and Sayuri. Thank goodness for them. All of the other girls think I want the boys to be chasing after me. I just want them to stop!

What's happening to me? I'm beating the boys up harder in the morning. I'm trying to hurt them like they're hurting me. I feel so full of anger all the time! One of the boys came to class today with his arm in a sling and I felt happy! Then I felt so ashamed because I was happy. I tried to talk to someone in the office again today, but they won't listen! What am I going to do?

I had another one of those nightmares last night. This time I managed to wake myself up without disturbing Kasumi or anyone else. It took a long time to go back to sleep.

**Ranma's Journal** : _Sat - 21 Apr_

Rage. Anger. Fury. Humiliation. Despair.

I can barely see this page in front of me. I can barely hold the pen.

Magic exists. Okay, maybe I suspected that before, but now I know! Pop got me cursed, cursed with real magic! I want to kill him. Honest to God, I want to. I got turned into a girl! Me, Ranma Saotome, a girl! I'm so mad, I can't see straight. I just want to scream and scream. But I can't now. I've yelled so much today that my throat is hoarse. I can only whisper now. I never knew how frustrating it is when you want to scream but you can't!

Hot water changes me back into a guy, but only until I get hit with cold water. Then I turn back into a girl again. What am I gonna do? I can't be a girl! I'm a boy! Is there a cure? Is there some way to remove this curse? I gotta find a way! I just gotta!

I tried to go to sleep. I was so exhausted, I thought it would be easy. I was so upset, I didn't even think about writing in my journal. But I couldn't sleep. The idea that I turn into a girl just keeps going around and around in my head, making me sick. So here I am, sitting up and writing about it, while pop lies over there snoring. Doesn't he feel as sick about this as me? I mean, he turns into a damned panda bear! Why doesn't he feel as bad about that as I do about being a girl?

**Ranma's Journal** : _Sun - 22 Apr_

I think the universe is having some kind of joke at my expense.

Yesterday I get cursed to turn into a girl whenever I get wet, and only hot water changes me back to a guy. Today some warrior chick kissed me on the cheek, and it turns out to be a promise to hunt me down and kill me. And all because pop and I ate some food she won. I mean, isn't that going a bit too far? We ran off and finally managed to lose her. I hope that's the last we see of her.

Pop says we're going back to Japan. Something about visiting an old friend of his. Originally he said we were going to stay in China until the end of summer. Guess he changed his mind. Something to do with our curses, maybe? Stupid panda. Still, what good is it to go back to Japan? His old friend won't be able to cure these curses.

Sometimes I just don't understand pops. Heh. Make that most of the time.

**Ranma's Journal** : _Mon - 23 Apr_

Okay, I am officially getting freaked out. What kami have I pissed off? I ate some porridge today. Just a blasted bowl of porridge! And what happens? When I'm a guy my hair grows so fast that in a minute or two it's longer than me! I trip all over it.

The guy at the restaurant said it had to do with a dragon's whisker. He used it to tie the end of my hair and it stopped growing. He told me I have to keep it tied there or my hair will start growing again, at least while I'm a boy.

So I guess that I'm stuck wearing my hair like this. It's a good thing I look great with a pigtail. Still, the idea that I have to wear it like this for the rest of my life - don't know what I think of that. I don't want to think about it. Doesn't seem like I have much choice, anyway.

If anyone up there is listening, I'd really appreciate it if you could lay off of the magic for a few days.

**Akane's Journal** : _Wed - 25 Apr_

Another year without momma. We all got dressed up and visited her grave before school today. Daddy didn't cry as much as I expected. He looked real solemn though. I caught sight of some tears on Nabiki's face. Not that I blame her - I know there were tears on my face too.

I wonder if momma ever watches us from wherever she is. What does she think? Is she proud of me? Does she worry about us? What would it be like if she was still here? I wish I could see her again. It's hard to remember her face. Why did she have to leave us? Why does life have to have so much pain?

I almost broke down and cried after I finished fighting the boys at school later. I wanted to scream at them, "Why are you doing this to me? I just visited my mother's grave! It's the anniversary of the day she died! Can't you leave me in peace today of all days?" I didn't of course. If I did, I honestly think they'd just stare at me, totally not understanding.

If momma were still alive, what would she tell me to do about the boys? Could she help me find an answer?

I wonder if I'll ever get the hang of home ec?

**Ranma's Journal** : _Wed - 25 Apr_

Guess what? That warrior chick - Shampoo is her name, I don't think I wrote that before - she's still after me. She caught up with me and pop in some town today. Busted right through a wall. She shouted something about killing me. I managed to get away though.

I'm beginning to wish I could speak Mandarin. Of course, I've written that more than once since we came to China. If I did, maybe I could talk to Shampoo, reason with her. There must be some way to convince her to stop trying to kill me. For now, we'll just try to lose her again.

Maybe it's a good thing we're going back to Japan. If we don't lose her before then, I bet we do when we swim back. I don't know how she's tracked us so far, but she won't be able to do it out on the open ocean.

Pop says we're going to start moving faster tomorrow. Try to throw her off our trail. Guess I'd better get to sleep.

**Akane's Journal** : _Sun - 29 Apr_

Showa Day! I'm excited because it's the beginning of Golden Week and we have the whole week off from school! No attacks by stupid perverts for an entire week! I'm feeling absolutely giddy about that.

My birthday is coming up in just a couple of days. Kasumi is planning a party. I wonder what I'll get? I can't believe I'm about to turn sixteen! Wow! Sixteen and never been kissed. (Giggle.) If any of those perverts at school tried to kiss me, he'd lose all his teeth! I wonder what it would feel like if Tofu-sensei kissed me? (Sigh.) Like that's ever going to happen.

I'm going to spend the whole week practicing extra hard. Those boys had better watch out when I get back to school. They're going to find out what it means to mess with Akane Tendo of the Musabetsu Kakuto Ryu.

I wish the nightmares would stop.

**Akane's Journal** : _Tue - 1 May_

Sixteen! Had my birthday party today. Yuka and Sayuri were there, and a few others showed up too. Why do so many of the girls at school blame me for the morning attacks? I never asked for them, I don't want them. But nobody listens. Oh well, the party was lots of fun, even if there weren't very many people there. And no boys! Thank you, Kasumi.

Daddy and Kasumi gave me a new dress and a skirt. Yuka gave me a bracelet, and Sayuri gave me a sweater. Nabiki gave me four issues of Maison Ikkoku. The other girls gave me some earrings and eye shadow and a little stuffed - something. I'm not sure what it is. But it is cute. It's looking at me while I write this.

We had lots of music, including karaoke. We played some games. It got boring for a bit when some of the girls wanted to talk about boys, but that stopped when Kasumi put out the food. We had rice, sashimi and stir fry to eat, plus mochi, cake and ice cream. All in all, it was a pretty great party.

It's such a relief not to have the boys attacking me. I'm sick thinking about next week. I wish Monday would never come.

**Ranma's Journal** : _Wed - 2 May_

Just a quick note while pop finishes sealing some things up in plastic. We're about to dive in for the swim back to Japan. Shampoo caught up again late yesterday, but we gave her the slip. She'll probably wander up and down the coast for a few days trying to pick up our trail, then give up and go back home.

I'm looking forward to seeing Japan again.

**Ranma's Journal** : _Sat - 5 May_

Damn, my arms are sore! It's a lot harder swimming across as a girl! I don't know what time we reached Japan last night, but we're finally here. As soon as we crawled on shore, I found some papers and dried up grass, and managed to make enough of a fire to heat some water. Changed back to a guy as quick as I could.

Then I collapsed. Like I said, that was pretty hard work. The panda seems in pretty rough shape too. Don't know why he didn't change back right away as well. Stupid pop.

I hope I never spend that long as a girl again. It just feels so wrong! Why did this have to happen to me? Why couldn't it happen to one of those freaks who wants to be a girl? God, I hate it so much! It feels so friggin' weird. What am I gonna do? Do I gotta live like this the rest of my life?

I'm gonna take a nap now, even if it is broad daylight. I feel so tired. I don't know where this old friend of pops is, but he'd damned sure better be willing to give me a chance to rest before we head out to find him. We'll probably get there tomorrow.

**Akane's Journal** : _Sat - 5 May_

It's the last holiday of Golden Week today. (Sigh.) Oh well, it couldn't last forever. One more day off, and then it's back to school.

I had a strange feeling all day, like there was a thunderstorm approaching. Except it was bright and sunny. Still, there was this sense of - waiting. It's like the whole world was taking a deep breath. I just can't seem to shake the feeling.

It's been a pretty good week. I did a lot of training. I'm stronger than ever. I added another layer of cinder blocks to the stack I break through, and I can lift ten kilos more than I could last week. Just you wait, perv boy. After I beat up all the others, I'm going to get you! I'm going to teach you a real lesson for everything you've put me through!

I wonder what it would be like to be one of the normal girls. Not to have all the boys chase you. Able to just walk into school in the morning, chatting with your friends. Would I trade my life for a life like that?

No. I'm a martial artist. That's more important to me than anything else. So what if I'm not normal? I don't need to be. One way or another, the idiots will learn that they can't beat me. Life can't stay this crazy forever.

Can it?

* * *

**Author's note:**

I'm sure that several people are preparing to ask, "Okay, but why aren't you working on _Side by Side_ instead?"

First, I completed a revision of the first chapter of _Side by Side_ a couple of days ago. It is now in the pre-read process.

From my point of view, the more legitimate question is why I'm not working on one of my other stories instead. As regards _Side by Side_, I sometimes have difficulty writing about modified versions of the events which took place in the manga. I'm more comfortable writing about things which took place after (or before) the manga, where my imagination has freer reign. I like the story _Side by Side_, and will continue it, but it is going to be very dependent on being in the right mood when I write it. Therefore I expect to work on it in fits and starts.

In contrast, _Nerima Journals_ should not require nearly as much investment of effort, since I won't be changing events, merely reporting on what happened. If things go as I intend, I will add bits to _Nerima Journals_ at times when I'm waiting or blocked on other stories, or during periods when I'm not feeling creative enough to work on original stories. Whenever I accumulate sufficient journal entries, I can post the next set of them as a chapter.

We'll see how it works out.


	2. Week One

**Nerima Journals  
By M. Zephyr**

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is a trademark of Rumiko Takahashi and VIZ Communications, and its characters have been borrowed without permission. This story was written for non-commercial purposes only.

Ranma x Akane. The lives of Ranma and Akane as seen through their journal entries. What is reproduced here is only a selection of entries from their journals.

* * *

**Chapter 2. Week One**

**Akane's Journal** : _Sun - 6 May_

Where do I start to describe the absolute worst day of my life?

How about with the fact my father's trying to force me to marry some perverted boy? Or maybe how said boy has some weird curse that makes him spend half of his time as a girl? Or how this creep saw me naked, and then had the nerve to say he had a better build as a girl?

Maybe I ought to start at the beginning instead.

The day started as usual. Got up, had breakfast, went for a jog, practiced breaking some cinder blocks. Then Nabiki came out to tell me that father wanted to speak to all of us. That's when everything went downhill.

Our loving father told us that one of us had been promised in marriage to some boy that none of us had ever met! And whichever one of us did would carry on the dojo. I started getting worried as soon as I heard that. Nabiki and Kasumi haven't even kept in practice since father stopped training us - how could he have expected either of them to run a dojo?

I thought it was going to be my dojo! Why does father think I've continued to train so hard? And now he's going to bring in some boy to take over?

Then he showed up, and he's pretending to be a girl! I felt so relieved that he wasn't a boy, except it turned out to just be some sick joke of his. When we went out to the dojo to spar, "she" didn't even pretend to fight for real. "She" just dodged me, mocking me!

That's when it happened. I went to take a bath. How was I supposed to know? He hadn't told us! I thought he was a girl! I'm sure he did it on purpose, to trick me. He's a pervert just like all the rest of them! I walked right in, without any clothes on at all! I thought I was going to die of embarrassment! I want to kill him for that! How dare he see me like that! Even now, I can still see him staring at me. I felt so violated!

I guess I should write his name down at some point. Ranma Saotome. There. I wish I would never have to write that name in my journal again.

They finally told us about the curses after that. Really they fought more than they explained. Cold water turns Ranma into a girl, and his father turns into a panda bear. Hot water changes them back. How can something like that be possible? It's magic. As if that's any explanation.

Then my father acts like this curse isn't any problem at all - like how could it not be?! - and tells him to pick one of us as his fiancée. Then what do you think my two wonderful sisters did? They volunteered me, of course! I told them that I'd never marry him, but did anyone listen to me? Yeah, right.

That's when he made that stupid crack about being built better than me. Oooh! I got him for it though. Ha! I flattened him with the table. He didn't manage to dodge that time!

Even that wasn't the end of it. I finally take my bath, and what happens? The pervert walks in on me again! I just know he did it on purpose! I clobbered him but - how do I stop him? Is he going to keep peeping on me every time I take a bath? Ugh.

Now he's just down the hall in the guest room. He and his father are going to be staying here for I don't know how long. How do I know he won't sneak into my bedroom? He was willing enough to walk in on me bathing. I don't think I'm going to sleep very well tonight.

What about school tomorrow? What if Nabiki blabs about him? I can't even imagine what it would be like. I hope she keeps quiet. I can't ask her though - she'd make me pay, and I can't afford to keep her quiet forever. Gods, perv boy will go insane if he finds out. Huh, that might be amusing. Ranma versus Kuno - who would I cheer for? Maybe they could get rid of each other for me. Like I could ever be that lucky.

I do have a confession to make, here where no one else will know. That first time in the furoba, Ranma was getting out of the furo. I saw all of him. As in all of him. I'd never seen a - I just paused with my pen above the paper for a whole minute. It's hard even to write it. I'd never seen a penis before. There, I wrote it. Nyah. (Blush.) I don't think I can bring myself to describe it. It was so weird though, standing out from his body like that, with water dripping off of it. Doesn't something like that feel awkward to a boy when he walks, or does martial arts or stuff? It's hard to imagine that thing could fit - well, on second thought I don't think I can write that down. I'm starting to feel like a pervert myself, now. I've got to stop thinking about it. I wonder if I'll dare to tell Yuka and Sayuri about it?

I'm going to bed now. If wishes can come true, then I'll wake up in the morning and this will all have been a bad dream, and I'll be able to forget the name Ranma Saotome.

**Ranma's Journal** : _Sun - 6 May_

Life sucks.

I mean, it really, really sucks.

The old friend pop was dragging me to meet? Turns out they expect me to marry one of his daughters. A macho chick named Akane Tendo.

Did I mention that life sucks?

When pop told me I tried to run away. But the bastard got me with a cheap shot from behind. I woke up just in time for him to put me on my feet in front of his friend, Soun Tendo. When he finally realized I was a girl, he fainted. I was totally embarrassed at the time, but it's kind of amusing now. He was expecting to meet his future son-in-law, and I turned out to be a girl instead. (Chuckle.)

Akane. Damn. She smiled at me. Asked if I wanted to be friends. Caught me off guard. For a few minutes, I actually wanted to hope - but she didn't mean it. She showed her true colors as soon as she found out I was a boy.

Of course, she didn't find out in the best possible way. I guess I should have told her right away - but how? God, I hate people looking at me like I'm a freak. So I didn't tell her, and after we sparred in the dojo a bit - not that she was any challenge, of course - her sister insisted I take a bath. Her sisters are Kasumi and Nabiki, by the way. Then this Akane walks in just as I'm climbing out of the furo. As a guy of course.

Pop and me explained about our curses after that. Then everyone else decides Akane and me are supposed to get engaged. They didn't even ask us! God, I was so pissed! But - I didn't expect her to turn on me. It wasn't my idea. But she went and called me a pervert!

Well, I wasn't gonna let her get away with that! If there's one thing that pops has taught me, it's how to top the other guy's insult. Gotta admit, I didn't expect - she hit me from behind. Knocked me out. Just like pop earlier. (Sigh.)

How? How does pop do it? Bad enough he tries to get me engaged without asking me, but he also picks a girl who can't stand me. "Friends." Yeah, right. Can't pop see how stupid it is to try to get me engaged before we find a cure for these curses? On second thought, it's pretty stupid to try to force me into an engagement, period.

You know, though, if it weren't for her attitude - I couldn't help getting a pretty good look at her when she walked in on me in the bath. After all, the only thing she had to cover herself was a little towel. It was - I don't know how to say it. I wish I was better at words. But in that instant before her face changed - damn, that image is just burned into my brain. Not that I'm ever gonna tell her that she looks nice or anything. But here, where I'm only writing for myself, I guess I can admit it.

I wonder if I should try to run off again? I still think we should go back to China and look for a cure. It's been a long day though. I'll think about it some more in the morning.

**Akane's Journal** : _Mon - 7 May_

I swear that jerk can't stay away from water. I had to walk him to school today - why does he have to go to my high school - and he got changed into a girl before we were halfway there! I did get a chance to say hello to Tofu-sensei though. Then he got in the way of my fight with perv boy. I do have to admit, Ranma was incredibly fast when the two of them were fighting. Unbelievably fast. Then it started raining and changed him into a girl again. Before the first bell even rung.

Naturally we were late to class because of that, so we had to hold buckets. Then perv boy showed up and told everyone that Ranma and I are engaged! I wanted to kill him! Except he and Ranma started fighting again, and can you believe they were both stupid enough to jump out of a window into the pool. So Ranma was a girl again, and it wasn't even the end of first period.

What I'm still trying to figure out is why I got hot water for him each time so he could change back. I don't like him. He's completely screwed up my life. Everyone at school thinks we're engaged now. So why? I even challenged perv boy to give Ranma time to use the hot water, except the dummy wasted the opportunity. Why was I going out of my way to help him like that? I even left school early just because he did. It's - very confusing. Well, no more. He can just look out for himself from now on.

Nabiki was in my room tonight trying to convince me he's not so bad. I think she's just scared that she might end up engaged to him instead of me. I soon set her straight - anyone can see that he's an arrogant, perverted jerk. In fact, I'm kind of scared of facing the other girls at school tomorrow. Are they going to think that I'm a pervert too, just because they think I'm engaged to him?

How much more can I take? At least the hentai horde and perv boy were mostly a problem in the morning, and only on school days. I'm going to have to put up with Ranma at home as well as at school. How am I supposed to cope?

How?

**Ranma's Journal** : _Mon - 7 May_

I swear I am never gonna figure out my old man. All my life he's gone on about how school's a waste of time, that it takes up time I could be spending in martial arts training. I figured I was done with it once I finished middle school. Then this morning he suddenly announces I'm starting high school. What's up with that?

Akane showed me the way to school this morning, and we both agreed that we're not getting married. I met some crazy doctor who seems to take his skeleton out for walks. Akane acted kind of funny around him - I think she might be sweet on him. Go figure.

When we got to school a whole bunch of boys attacked Akane. Nabiki tried to get me to ignore it, and Akane took them all out before I could make up my mind whether to get involved. I wouldn't admit it to her, but she did a pretty good job. Although none of them seemed very skilled.

Then I got in a fight with a guy named Kuno. Akane told me later he was the one who started it all - the boys attacking Akane I mean. I didn't have a chance to put him in his place because it started raining and the panda showed up and grabbed me. Actually I'm kind of glad the old man did. I'd hate it for everyone at school to find out about my curse. Akane surprised me by bringing me some hot water to change back. I thought she hated me. She helped me later on too. I can't figure her out any better than I can my pop.

I didn't get to any classes today. Akane and I got sent out to the hall right away for being late. Then that Kuno nut showed up again - announced loud and clear that Akane and I are engaged, the jackass - and we went off to fight. What the hell is it with me and water? I was just trying to get him out of the school, and I end up in the swimming pool. Anyway, I beat the crap out of him when he caught up to me after. Then Akane and I went back to her house - I decided I'd had enough school for one day.

Tonight pop said I should thank Akane for helping me at school - bringing me hot water and trying to delay Kuno. I kind of, sort of, maybe agreed with him, but when I got to her door, I heard her - she was telling someone that I was a pervert, and if she hangs around me people will think she's a pervert too.

Damned macho tomboy - where does she get off calling me a pervert? The curse ain't my fault. I hate it! I'd give anything to be rid of it. I've only known her two days, and already she's driving me crazy! If that's the way she feels, then I'll just help her to stay as far away from me as possible.

The only bright spot is, with pop's track record, I'm sure that Tendo-san will kick us out of his house in a couple of weeks. Then I can get back to serious training, and not have to worry about school, or girls, or any of that other crap.

**Akane's Journal** : _Tue - 8 May_

After yesterday, I was ready to believe Ranma spends more time as a girl than as a boy. So I was surprised that I didn't see him change into a girl a single time today, either at school or at home. That's probably why it feels like not much happened today. He didn't get into a fight with perv boy either. He almost seemed to be a normal boy. He was still a jerk of course - like I said, a normal boy.

Sayuri and Yuka and I are getting together tomorrow afternoon to do some shopping. It'll be a relief to get away from Ranma for a while. I hope they don't insist on spending the whole afternoon talking about him.

**Ranma's Journal** : _Tue - 8 May_

That bozo Kuno gave Nabiki a formal challenge to give to me today. He wants to meet me at Furinkan for a duel this coming Sunday at ten o'clock. Fine by me, even if he does want to fight me as a girl. Maybe if he loses a formal duel, he'll finally admit I'm better.

A couple of guys came up and sat with me at lunch today. Their names are Hiroshi and Daisuke. I thought at first they wanted to be friends, but what they mostly wanted to do was talk about Akane. Sheesh, it's like I can't get away from her, even when she's not hanging around me. I had a bit of trouble changing the subject, since they don't know nothing about martial arts, but I finally got them talking about baseball. Of course, that was just as boring since I don't follow the sport, but at least it was something other than Akane, Akane, Akane.

**Akane's Journal** : _Wed - 9 May_

(Sigh.) Sayuri and Yuka did insist on spending the whole afternoon talking about Ranma. They seem to think I should be thrilled to be engaged to him. Of course, they don't know about his curse, or what a pervert he is, or the way he treats me, or the things he says to me. They only see him at school, sleeping during class, or eating during lunch. I tried to explain, but they told me I was being too hard on him. I wish I could tell them about his curse, but - I guess I can't do that to him. Besides, I don't want everyone at school to think I'm engaged to someone who's a girl half the time.

I tried to talk Ranma into sparring with me after school today, but he wasn't interested. I spent some time working out by myself. I broke through as many blocks as last Saturday, and increased the weight I lifted by another couple of kilos. Who needs him anyway? I can train just fine on my own.

Kasumi made tempura with ayu fish for dinner tonight. It was really good. Even if most of it was eaten by those two Saotomes. Why can't I seem to write a single paragraph that doesn't mention him? I've known him less than four days, but he's like some out of control plant sending vines into every corner of my life! What I wouldn't give for some weed killer!

**Ranma's Journal** : _Thu - 10 May_

That girl Nabiki is creepy. Any time I notice her, she seems to be watching me out of the corner of her eye. And it ain't that she's interested in me that way. It's more - predatory. Or maybe calculating. It gives me the shivers.

There. I promised myself I wouldn't start off this entry talking about Akane, and I didn't. I wish those jerks at school would stop asking me about our so-called engagement. I yelled at one of them today, I wanted to make it clear we're not engaged. Then I saw her looking at me. Like she was real angry. But why? She don't want to be engaged either.

On the other hand, I guess she ain't all bad. We're supposed to have a quiz in Math tomorrow and, hell, I've only had three days of school so far, since Monday don't count. I finally got up the nerve to knock on her door and ask for help, even though I figured she'd just tell me to buzz off. But - she let me in. Said she'd try. She did sigh an awful lot, which made me feel kind of dumb, but she never said anything bad. I got no idea why. I was sure she'd take the chance to tell me how stupid I am. I even think I may not fail the quiz too badly.

Oh, almost forgot. I had a nightmare last night. Not the cats this time. Not Jusenkyo either. I was tied to a pole and gagged and wearing a blindfold. Somebody asked if I wanted to get married and I tried to yell through the gag. Then I heard pop behind me say, "I do," like he was trying to pretend to sound like me. The person in front said, "You may now kiss the bride." They pulled off the blindfold, and I saw I was in my cursed form, wearing a white dress. Then Soun Tendo leaned in and said, "Kiss me, my blushing bride," and puckered up. I woke up screaming.

I think I'd rather dream about the cats.

**Ranma's Journal** : _Fri - 11 May_

Guess what? I saw my Math teacher as I was leaving school today, and he told me I got a D minus on my quiz! I passed! Can you believe that? I was so excited I actually thanked Akane. She looked really surprised, then she sort of harrumphed at me. But I think she was smiling a little when she turned away. Probably just congratulating herself for being able to tutor a bozo like me well enough to pass.

Pop pulled a new trick on me while we were sparring this afternoon. It's not so easy to describe. I saw sure I was gonna nail him with the kick I'd been practicing, when he sort of twisted lengthwise and spun horizontally at the same time. He not only dodged the kick - it put him in the perfect position to get a punch in my back that sent me flying into the pond. After that I spent an hour learning how to do it myself, until he was satisfied I had it right. You know - after ten years, you'd think I'd know all his moves.

Akane and Kasumi were watching a movie on television tonight, some cartoon involving a green oni. Kasumi was folding laundry, and Akane was just lying on the floor. At first I was going to say something about watching some dumb cartoon, but right then all these samurai started attacking the oni while people in seats surrounding the courtyard watched, and the oni was fighting them off and - well, it was dumb, but it was fun too. I lay down on the floor near Akane, not too close, and watched the rest of it. All three of us laughed a lot, I was kind of surprised, Akane has a nice laugh. And the princess fell in love with the monster and married him! I don't know why, but that made me feel really good.

**Akane's Journal** : _Sat - 12 May_

Ranma and his father have been here for a week now. Or close enough, since they arrived on Sunday morning. I don't know how I've survived this past week. Not sure how I'll survive the next either.

He's worse at school than I expected, and he seems to sleep through most of the classes. It's a miracle he passed this week's math quiz. Maybe he just needs time to adjust. I've got to remember it was only his first week of high school.

I asked him earlier if he was worried about his fight with perv boy tomorrow, when he's supposed to fight him as a girl. He made a stupid comment about being better than me even if I'm more of a tomboy than his girl side. So I punched him into the pond and turned him into a girl. Jackass.

The thing I really wanted to write about tonight, I'm still trying to decide what it means. A dream last night. A nightmare. One of those nightmares. Except -

It began like usual. I was fighting the hentai horde. But my arms and legs felt like they were moving so slow, and I couldn't speed up. God, it makes me sick to write this down. I'm going to skip that part. I was being held down, and the first one was about to, you know, when he suddenly went flying backwards. Then Ranma was standing there and he looked so furious. He tore into the other boys, smashing them, sending them flying. I lay there and watched, unable to move. When he finished, he knelt down beside me. He pulled off his shirt and put it on me. Then he picked me up in his arms and carried me off, he said he was taking me home.

Why did it end like that? Not that I'm going to object to it ending differently, but why didn't my dream let me beat them up? I don't need his help. I don't want him to save me - I can take care of myself.

Why did it feel so good to be carried in his arms?

Stupid subconscious.

**Ranma's Journal** : _Sun - 13 May_

I met Kuno at school today, because of the challenge he sent me. I came in my girl form, since that's who he sent the challenge to. I was ready. We were going to have a big fight. Right?

Wrong.

He gave me a bunch of roses. Told me he loves me.

I don't think I've ever run as fast as I ran to the Tendo home after that. Thank God Akane wasn't in the furo. Or anyone else. Because I ran straight to the bathing room and dove in. I needed to be a boy again.

I wanted to puke. Still do.

That guy needs to be locked up somewhere. I think I finally understand why Akane hates his guts so much. Just thinking about him makes me sick. I want to beat his face in till his own mother wouldn't recognize him.

As if all that wasn't bad enough - Kasumi decided to take the opportunity to wash my clothes. All of them. As in she didn't leave anything for me to wear. So Nabiki splashed me with water and they told me I had to wear girls' clothes. They made me wear some of Akane's stuff. I got this nasty suspicion the two of them may have done it on purpose.

Then Akane went and chased me around the house, whacking me with her damn shinai. Just because I teased her a bit about how the clothes fit. That girl needs to talk to a shrink about her temper.

I'm so happy to be a guy again, and have my own clothes back. As soon as I was able to change back, I carried a kettle of hot water around with me the rest of the day. I've got one sitting on the floor beside me right now. I'm going to try not to be a girl again for a while.

**Akane's Journal** : _Sun - 13 May_

Ooh, that, that, boy!

Kasumi somehow managed to have all of Ranma's clothes in the wash, so he didn't have anything to wear. And she really thinks I'm going to believe it was an accident! Kasumi doesn't have accidents when it comes to chores like laundry.

Then she and Nabiki said I had to let Ranma wear some of my clothes. So I did. He, or she, even managed to look good in it. But could he leave well enough alone? Of course not! He just had to say that my chest is too small and my bottom is too fat! Then he had the nerve to complain when I punished him for it!

I'm looking forward to getting back to school tomorrow. At least he doesn't insult me in class. Not usually, anyway.

I was looking back at my journal entry from the day before Ranma arrived. I can't believe I actually wrote, "Life can't stay this crazy forever." I think I must have tempted some kami to prove me wrong. It's obvious that having Ranma Saotome around means my life is going to stay crazy. At least there's no way it could possibly get worse.


	3. Adoption of Pchan

**Nerima Journals  
By M. Zephyr**

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is a trademark of Rumiko Takahashi and VIZ Communications, and its characters have been borrowed without permission. This story was written for non-commercial purposes only.

Ranma x Akane. The lives of Ranma and Akane as seen through their journal entries. What is reproduced here is only a selection of entries from their journals.

* * *

**Chapter 3. Adoption of P-chan**

**Ranma's Journal** : _Mon - 14 May_

Had a horrible nightmare last night. Kuno kept telling me that he loved me, and I couldn't change back to a boy. Man, that was disturbing. I joined Akane in trashing those idiots attacking her before school just so I could get to Kuno and kick him in the face. Of course, Akane yelled at me for it but, hey, it was worth it.

Then the jackass tries to give me a stuffed panda bear! Bad enough he's giving me any presents. But of all things, something that would remind me of the old man. Then I transformed right in front of him, and he still didn't catch a clue about my curse. We had another fight and I beat him again, naturally.

Accidentally got a look up Akane's skirt during the fight. Teased her about it, but - damn, I've got to stop thinking about that. I wish I knew how to deal with her.

Had to see Doctor Tofu after that chick went and mauled me for no reason, again. He fixed me up but the dirty little so-and-so hit a pressure point on my back that left my legs useless. Had to have Akane carry me home. The Doc kept insisting how Akane's such a sweet girl. Well she didn't seem to be acting like it to me. Though I guess she didn't have to go to the trouble of taking me to the Doc or carrying me home.

**Akane's Journal** : _Mon - 14 May_

That jerk Ranma went and interfered in my fight before school. Who does he think he is? He got into another fight with perv boy after school, and even took a hit before he won. I got scared there for a minute. Perv boy destroyed a pedestal with just the air pressure from his strikes. I never knew he could do something like that! What if he tries that one morning when I'm fighting him? I suppose - damn it, I really hate to write this but - I suppose Ranma would be there. Ranma may be a jerk, but I don't think he'd let perv boy get away with anything too dangerous.

You know what else that pervert Ranma did during the fight? He looked up my skirt! He peeked at my panties! I wanted to kill him! I kicked him good for it. He goes on and on about how ugly and fat and so forth I am, and then he turns around and does something like that! (Growl)

I discovered something else that upset me even more than anything Ranma's said or done. I found out that Nabiki has been selling photographs of me to perv boy. God, I feel sick just writing it. I keep thinking about what he might be doing with those photographs and I want to scream and break things. How could she? She's my sister! Doesn't she care about me at all? Oh damn, now I'm getting the paper wet.

To top it off, Ranma had to go and insult me about the photographs. I lost my temper and - hurt him bad enough I had to take him to Doctor Tofu. (Sigh) Then Tofu-sensei went and said something about me still being a child. Why can't he see me the way I want him to? Why do I have to have someone like Ranma as a fiancé instead?

Something happened to Ranma's legs while we were walking home. I guess Doctor Tofu didn't quite fix everything. Why do I keep doing things for Ranma when all he does is insult me? I gave him a piggyback ride home because he couldn't walk, after changing him into a girl. (The jerk wouldn't let me give him a ride while he was a boy.) You know, it's strange - I think Ranma may be a little nicer as a girl. Which isn't the same as saying he's nice.

**Ranma's Journal** : _Tue - 15 May_

Had to stand in the hall holding buckets three times today. Sheesh. It felt like I spent more time in the hall than in the classroom.

Tonight we watched some old home movies the Tendo's have. It was almost shocking to see Kasumi as an eight year old, running around the yard and screaming with laughter. She seems so reserved now. Akane was almost cute at age five and "sparring" with her father. I had to laugh when her father faked being knocked down in the film, and I looked over and saw that she was hiding her face and her ears were bright red.

**Akane's Journal** : _Wed - 16 May_

I don't know whether to shout in joy or cry in frustration. It's been a real roller-coaster today.

To start with, the hentai horde have stopped! They've actually given up! Of course, they had to ruin it a little by saying they were doing it because they approved of my engagement to Ranma. (Sigh) But they won't be attacking me in the morning anymore! They've stopped!

Naturally perv boy didn't agree. So I still have to beat him up every morning. It was kind of funny seeing the footprints still on his face.

Now for the part where I need the kleenex. Ranma and I went over to Tofu-sensei's clinic after school, because his head got in the way of a baseball I hit. While we were there Kasumi came over. Oh Tofu, why? Why couldn't it have been me you looked at like that?

It hurt so much. I can't hide from it anymore. The man I love only has eyes for my older sister, and that's never going to change. I can't take this pain anymore. Somehow I have to stop thinking of him like that.

When Ranma came home, I didn't know what to think. He was acting nice one moment, then really mean the next. He tried to cheer me up, but then when he agreed to spar with me, all he did was dodge again. Then he said something, but I don't know if he meant it or if he just did it to distract me so he could knock me over.

Does he really think I'm cute when I smile?

**Ranma's Journal** : _Wed - 16 May_

That macho chick hit me with a baseball in gym class today. I would of dodged it, but Hiroshi and Daisuke were asking me perverted questions. Damn that girl hits hard.

When we stopped by Tofu's clinic after school, it turned out pop had gotten a job working for him. Can you believe that? Pop actually working. Of course, he's had jobs before, but it always seems such a surprise when he gets one.

While we were there, Kasumi came in. The Doc went crazy as soon as he saw her. Didn't seem to know who anyone was. Twisted my neck something fierce. He acted like he was nuts. It was unbelievable.

I talked to Akane about it later. I even let her spar with me for a bit, though she just seemed to get angry. I psyched her out at the end, except - I can't get my words out of my head. I knocked her over with one finger after I told her she was cute when she smiled. But why can't I stop thinking about it?

**Ranma's Journal** : _Thu - 17 May_

I saw Ryoga Hibiki again today! He's the boy from the last middle school I went to, the guy who was always getting lost. He showed up at Furinkan wanting to fight me. It took me a minute to remember who he was. Seems he wanted to blame me because he was late for the duel we were supposed to have back in December.

We barely got started - he threw his umbrella at me. Then the idiot got turned around and ran off, trying to find me.

Why is he going to so much trouble over a bunch of stupid bread?

**Akane's Journal** : _Fri - 18 May_

There haven't been any morning attacks except for Kuno for three days! Three whole glorious days! I haven't had any of those nightmares for two nights now!

I'm not going to let him know, but I could almost hug Ranma for that. Since it's because he showed up. The reason they stopped, I mean. Imagine, being grateful to Ranma for something.

There's a part of me that's still worried that they'll forget, and start it up again next week. I don't think I'll be completely convinced until Monday arrives and they're still behaving themselves.

I forgot to mention last night, but Ranma got in a fight with some boy after school. Apparently someone he knew from middle school. Would you believe they were fighting over bread? Boys! They're such idiots.

**Ranma's Journal** : _Sat - 19 May_

Kasumi asked Akane and me to go to the market to pick up some stuff for her. I don't know why I had to go as well. Akane could have handled it all by herself. I just couldn't say no to Kasumi, somehow. That's okay though. It gave me a chance to pick up some bread to make it up to Ryoga, when he finally shows up again. Maybe we can put that fight behind us.

It was kind of a silent walk at first. Then Akane started telling me a few things about some of the places we were passing, the people who live in the area. Really brought home to me how she's lived here all her life. I can't imagine what that's like, to only know one place, but to know it that well. Another surprise - her voice isn't so hard on the ears when she isn't yelling.

**Akane's Journal** : _Mon - 21 May_

That jerk Ranma. I guess that's unfair. Sweet jerk? Ugh. Anyway, he called me a tomboy just before class started, and I grabbed a pail of water and threw it at him. He dodged it though. And the teacher picked that exact moment to walk in the door. He was hopping mad about getting drenched. Then Ranma went and told him that he was the one who threw the water. Why'd he do that? He had to hold buckets in the hall until lunchtime, and he got detention after school as well. You'd think he'd be happy to get me in trouble.

Oh, right! No hentai horde this morning! I guess it really is true! I'm going to put my pen down and dance around my room for a while!

**Ranma's Journal** : _Tue - 22 May_

Akane's friend Sayuri was teasing her at lunchtime about our engagement. I told her loud and clear that we are not engaged. Then Akane slapped me! Why the hell did she do that? In fact that's what I yelled at her, "Why the hell did you do that?" That's when she punched me. Girls! I ain't ever gonna figure them out.

I had a freaking weird dream last night. Me and Akane were married, and she woke me up by throwing a pail of ice water on me. Which turned me into a girl, of course. She told me I had to feed the baby, and she handed me a baby and before I knew what was what my shirt was open and it was nursing. Then Akane yelled at me and told me the baby was supposed to have solid food. So I put it in a high chair and she handed me a bowl of goo and I turned around, and her father was sitting in the high chair! In a diaper and a baby bonnet! And Akane was telling me to feed him! Gah. I can't get the image out of my head.

Then the rest of our kids ran into the room. Five girls. Every one of them with Akane's face. Every one carrying a damned cat! I ran through the door without bothering to open it first, and then it turned into one of the usual nightmares where it's pitch black, and I can hear the cats in the dark all around me, and I can't get away.

I think from now on maybe I'd better skip the fourth helping when I have my bedtime snack.

**Ranma's Journal** : _Thu - 24 May_

Ryoga finally showed up for the duel today. I guess I shouldn't be surprised how things turned out. Nothing was really settled between Ryoga and me. Instead there was a lot of trouble between me and Akane.

He didn't accept the bread I gave him as a peace offering, he insisted on fighting. I got to admit, Ryoga's stronger than I expected. He might be almost as strong as me.

Just about everything that could go wrong in that fight did. I got changed into a girl. Ryoga tore my shirt so my boobs were showing. Akane got in the middle of the fight and was almost sliced in half, and most of her hair was cut off. She and the other girls seemed to think that was pretty terrible.

When I carried her out of the middle of the fight, she was holding on to me really tight. You'd almost think she was scared. Then she jumped away and yelled at me for holding her. Hell, she even slapped me for it. And slapped me again after her hair was cut.

I followed Akane to Doctor Tofu's clinic later. He said her hair was nice and then she started crying really hard. But after, when we were walking home together, she didn't seem as depressed. I guess it's just another way I don't understand girls. Then when I told her that her hair did look good the way it is now she didn't want to believe me at first. She finally thanked me, but went and ruined it by knocking me into the canal. I swear, she can be so uncute sometimes!

Now if I can only figure out why I saved her hair. The part that was cut off. I've got it in the box under the floorboard, where I keep my money. But I still ain't sure why I didn't throw it away.

**Akane's Journal** : _Thu - 24 May_

Another day that went from worst to maybe-not-so-bad. I seem to be having a lot of days like that since Ranma showed up.

Ranma finally had his match with that boy Ryoga he knew in middle school. During the fight I found out that Ranma (Ryoga too) is a lot stronger than I realized. Ryoga has this umbrella that's unbelievably heavy. I could barely lift it. But Ranma and Ryoga were both swinging it around with one hand. (Sigh) Just great. Another way he makes me jealous.

That jerk Ranma went and hugged me during the fight. He pretended he was doing it just to save me from these bandannas that were flying around. But I know he was really just being a pervert so he could get his hands on me. It did not, I repeat, it did not feel good! It didn't, it didn't, it didn't!

Then they cut off my hair! The hair I grew for Tofu-sensei! I didn't even see how it happened. Those two colossal, awful, insensitive, stupid, idiot jerks cut off my hair!

I had Kasumi fix it up, then I went to see Doctor Tofu because I twisted my ankle. He said my hair was cute and the short hair suited me better. Then I broke down and had a really good cry. I must have really soaked his shirt. Somehow I think it helped. It was like I was saying good-bye to him. He loves Kasumi and that's all there is to it. I gave up my long hair, and I gave up Doctor Tofu.

While we were walking home, Ranma told me he liked my hair this way. At first I thought he was just trying to tease me, but - I think he really meant it. I wonder what got into him?

At least it gave me a chance to tip him off balance and make him land in the canal! Revenge for what he did to me in the dojo after that "cute when you smile" line!

**Akane's Journal** : _Fri - 25 May_

Had kind of a funny dream last night. Ranma and I were standing on top of the school, when all of a sudden the building collapsed. He grabbed me and jumped off. We were flying through the air and I was holding on to him really tightly. We landed on another building, then it collapsed. We jumped off again. It kept happening over and over again. We'd land on some building, it would crumble underneath us, and we'd be jumping through the air again. And every time I had to hold onto him tight so I wouldn't fall.

The history teacher called on Ranma in class today, and the baka actually gave the right answer. I was so surprised that I didn't hear the teacher call my name to ask me a question until Yuka poked me from behind. Then Ranma teased me about it during lunch, so I shoved him into a wall.

**Ranma's Journal** : _Sat - 26 May_

I swear, one of these days I'm going to fill in that koi pond Tendo-san has in the yard. I fell in that stupid thing five times today. I hate being a girl.

**Ranma's Journal** : _Sun - 27 May_

We've been living with the Tendo family for three weeks now, and I'm not any closer to talking pop out of this engagement idea. Not that I really expected to. He ain't the sort to ever admit when he's wrong. So who ends up paying the price for his mistakes? Me, like usual.

I mean, I know it could be worse. Hell, who am I kidding. This is pop we're talking about. I'm shocked that it's not incredibly worse. But why now? I'm just sixteen. What's so important about it that he's trying to push me into it now? Why not wait another two years, or three? I could've done more training, studied under more masters. We could've searched for a cure to these curses. It just don't make any sense to me.

I wonder if I'm ever going to understand Akane. One moment she's acting like an ordinary person. Nice even, sometimes. The next moment and I'm sailing through the air, courtesy of her fist or her foot. Or her desk lamp, or whatever else is handy. It's almost like every time I open my mouth, it's an excuse for her to get angry with me. Okay, that's an exaggeration. Most of the time we manage to talk without any problem. But I can't seem to predict when something I say is going to set her off.

Though come to think of it, that's true of most of the other people I tried to get close to over the years. Look at Ryoga. Maybe there's some trick to this conversation business that other people learned but I never did for some reason. I wonder if there's some way to learn it now? Pop would probably say it was a waste of time to try, unless maybe it had something to do with martial arts. I wonder if there's a technique for martial arts conversation. (Heh) Oh well, it's the tomboy's problem if she can't figure out what I'm trying to say.

**Akane's Journal** : _Mon - 28 May_

If found the cutest little black piggy in my bedroom last night. I've decided that he's going to be my pet. He's so affectionate, you wouldn't believe. He just loves to be held and cuddled. Ranma doesn't seem to like him much, but that's just too bad.

I woke up last night and thought there was a burglar, but it turned out to just be Ranma and Ryoga fighting again. Honestly! It was after two o'clock in the morning! Why can't they fight during the day like two ordinary boys? They woke Kasumi up also.

Anyway, it was after I got up to check on their fight that I found the pig, when I went back to my room. I tried to get Ranma to help with him - I asked him to take the piglet into the furo to warm him up. Instead the baka attacked the poor defenseless little thing.

Then Ranma did the worst thing he's done yet! He snuck into my bedroom last night and tried to grope me in my sleep! I couldn't believe it! I was starting to think that maybe, just maybe, he wasn't as bad as the other boys. Then he goes and does something like that. He's just another pervert, just like all of them.

And my family! Can you believe they didn't care?! Nabiki just told him to be quieter about it from now on! And daddy! The only thing my own father had to say was that Ranma is a healthy boy! Doesn't it matter to him? What would he say if Ranma had had his way with me? Grrr, he'd probably just insist on getting us married immediately. Well after last night, I have no intention of ever marrying Ranma Saotome, not ever!

Oh well, at least my little piggy loves me. He's in my lap and I'm scratching his ears right now. He's sooo cute - I think I'll name him Pig-chan. Or maybe just P-chan.

**Ranma's Journal** : _Mon - 28 May_

Okay, shock of the day - that dumbass Ryoga followed me all the way to Jusenkyo and got cursed himself. Do you believe that idiot? He turns into a little pig. Suits him. (Ha ha) Except he had the nerve to use his curse to sleep in Akane's bed! I'm still incredibly steamed just thinking about it. Doesn't he have any honor?

So what happened - the jackass broke into the house last night, and tried to attack me while I was sleeping. The panda knocked us both out the window. We fought for a bit, and then Akane threw something from the house that hit pig-boy in the head. He dropped his umbrella and the rain transformed him, but he jumped away before I could see what he changed into.

When I followed him, I found a dog just outside the wall and thought that was Ryoga. I brought it back inside, thinking I'd try to help, you see. Turned out to be the neighbor's dog though. Silly me.

Apparently Ryoga found his way into Akane's room, and she decided she'd make a pet out of the pig! I didn't figure it out till I dumped him into the furo. Turns out I may have been the one to knock him off the cliff at Jusenkyo into the pool. Least he says a girl chasing a panda did, and I don't figure there were too many other girls with panda bears there at the time. Then the pig bit me in the shoulder and while I was chasing him Akane got all mad at me for trying to give him the beating he deserved!

Then she took him to bed with her! I couldn't believe it! So I sneak into her room to try to do her a favor and get rid of him and naturally it all goes wrong. The pig fought me and I ended up falling on Akane. She thought I was trying to molest her or something and didn't give me a chance to explain, just knocked me out the window! Well, if she wants to sleep with the pig, then see if I care. She can have him if she wants him.

Everybody else thought the same thing. Pop and Tendo-san seemed almost happy about it. Nabiki just told me to keep the noise down in future. Kasumi scolded me. Not one of them was willing to believe that's not why I was in her room.

Ah, to hell with them. I know I was trying to do the right thing.

* * *

**Author's note:**

When I saw that _Sendai_, my first story, was about to reach fifty thousand hits, I decided I needed to do something to mark the occasion. It wasn't a feasible option to post chapter 4 of _The Silent Horse_, since that's still with my pre-reader. So instead I buckled down to get this chapter of _Nerima Journals_ together. The fifty thousand mark on _Sendai_ was reached sometime in the early morning hours (today, 2007-10-03).

This chapter is slightly on the short side of what I'm aiming for in _Nerima Journals_, but it seemed the best place to stop. Ranma is going to run into Kodachi Kuno tomorrow (within the universe of the story, Tue, 29 May). I didn't want to break the gymnastics arc across chapters or try to stuff the whole thing into this chapter, so I stopped here. In fact, I'll probably make a habit in this story of allowing the chapters to vary a bit in length, shorter or longer, if that allows me to break them between arcs. Doing so would seem to make sense.


	4. Gymnastics and Ice Skating

**Nerima Journals  
By M. Zephyr**

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is a trademark of Rumiko Takahashi and VIZ Communications, and its characters have been borrowed without permission. This story was written for non-commercial purposes only.

Ranma x Akane. The lives of Ranma and Akane as seen through their journal entries. What is reproduced here is only a selection of entries from their journals.

* * *

**Chapter 4. Gymnastics and Ice Skating**

**Akane's Journal** : _Tue - 29 May_

I caught that jerk Ranma up on the roof a little while ago, trying to make out with a girl who had just ambushed me in my own bedroom! The nerve! After I got rid of her he just lay there, like he was still dreaming about it. I don't know why, but I took off my robe and put it over him. I should have just let him freeze.

The girl was a gymnast from a rival school, named Kodachi, who I've agreed to fight in a match next week. She already ambushed the members of our team, so that they can't compete. After I got back in from training, Kodachi tried to pounce on me, too, but naturally I won. Except she trashed my room! Then after I get most of the mess picked up, I find her and Ranma up on the roof like I said!

Training to use the gymnastics tools was harder than I thought, and Ranma was no help. Luckily Ryoga showed up, and it turns out he's really good at using them. He's agreed to help me learn to use them in time for the match. I hope he can. A week doesn't seem very long right now.

**Ranma's Journal** : _Wed - 30 May_

I didn't write an entry yesterday because I spent the night on the roof. Not that this was my idea you understand. A completely psycho chick paralyzed me, and Akane left me there. I guess I should back up and explain.

Yesterday I saw a girl getting ambushed, but she beat off her attackers. Turns out her name is Kodachi Kuno, and she's old Blue Thunder's sister. Calls herself the Black Rose. What's with this Kuno family and the weird nicknames? If I meet their parents I'll probably find they call themselves the Purple Penguin and the Red Typhoon or something.

The people who attacked her turned out to be girls from our school, from the gymnastics team. Kodachi had put them out of commission for a match coming up, and now they've asked Akane to take their place. Sheesh. Watching Akane try to use those gymastics tools was something else. Then that jerk Ryoga showed up and offered to train her. And she accepted! But it's hopeless. Honestly.

Oh, and she nicknamed the pig "P-chan." Could she have thought of anything more disgustingly cute? I don't see how Ryoga can possibly stand to be called that.

Anyway, I accidentally knocked that girl Kodachi off the roof. When I grabbed her and kept her from hitting the ground, how did she repay me? She paralyzed me with some gas from a bunch of flowers! Then tried to kiss me right in front of Akane! I swear, she's as nutty as that brother of hers. And after she went away, Akane just left me there. She did put a robe over me, but it blew off a minute later.

Kodachi showed up at school the next morning, saying she wanted to date me. That's when we found out she's Kuno's sister. The jackass, Kuno I mean, tried to give me permission to date her. Idiot. Like I'd want to go out with a crazy girl. I got enough trouble with Akane!

**Akane's Journal** : _Wed - 30 May_

It turns out that Kodachi is perv boy's sister. I should have seen the resemblance.

She tried to attack me at school today, not that it did her any good. Then she went after Ranma again, although he acted like he was trying to get away. In fact, he had the nerve to call me his fiancée, just as an excuse to get Kodachi to leave him alone.

And for the icing on the cake, she's made Ranma part of the challenge. Whichever one of us wins is supposed to get him. Ugh. Now if I fight to win, it's going to look like I'm trying to win Ranma. But I can't back down from a challenge. The rumors are already flying around the school.

**Ranma's Journal** : _Thu - 31 May_

The pig was here again tonight, helping Akane train for her match. I've got to admit, he does seem to have helped her some. I'm sure I could've done better of course, if I'd had any reason to. The creep has a lot of nerve, still coming around here and using his curse to sleep in Akane's bed.

Kodachi was waiting for me after school. (Brrr.) Luckily, I saw her before she saw me. I tossed her brother at her as a diversion. I made my escape while she was busy tying him up in her ribbon. I don't know what it is about that girl, but just seeing her makes my hair stand on end. And that laugh! She really ought to consider a career in horror films.

When we got home from school, Kasumi handed Akane a box and it turned out to have a leotard in it, for the match. So she wore that while she practiced tonight, instead of her gi. I clobbered Ryoga at one point when I caught him staring at her legs instead of paying attention to her moves. Not that I was jealous or anything.

**Akane's Journal** : _Fri - 1 Jun_

Ryoga didn't show up for our practice tonight. I hope he hasn't gone and gotten lost again. If he has there's no telling when he might show up again, and I'd really like for him to train with me more. It's pretty hopeless asking for Ranma's help. Besides, that baka doesn't really know the gymnastics stuff the way Ryoga does. Anyway I did my best practicing on my own. I think I'm getting better.

I hope I haven't bitten off more than I can chew.

Ranma was out in the dojo the whole time I was practicing, watching me. He was probably just looking for opportunities to tease and insult me, but luckily I didn't give him too many. A few times I could almost swear I caught him staring at me, but I'm sure that was just my imagination.

**Ranma's Journal** : _Sat - 2 Jun_

Akane put in an awful lot of time practicing today. I got to admit, she does seem to be pretty serious about winning this match. Yuka called and asked her to come over to quote - study - unquote, but Akane told her that she needed to keep practicing. She ain't said anything, but I think she's been worried that Ryoga hasn't come by the last couple of days.

Yuka was lucky to get through. Nabiki's been hogging the telephone the last couple of days. I think she's taking bets from everybody in Tokyo over who's going to win. I thought about making a bet myself, but I'm afraid I might have to bet on Kodachi if I don't want to lose my money. And Akane would kill me if she found out I did that.

Not that I'd bet on Kodachi if it was just martial arts. I wouldn't tell her, but heck, it's obvious Akane could take Kodachi easy in a straight fight. But she ain't had time to get comfortable using the clubs and hoops and stuff. And let's not mention that ribbon! But during the match she's got to use those things to fight with. That gives Kodachi the edge.

I wonder if they're serious about thinking that I'm stuck with whoever wins? No way Mr. Tendo would go along with that. But if they are, then I've got to cheer Akane on, at least privately. I might not want to marry the tomboy, but I can't even stand to be near that Kodachi girl. So good luck, Akane.

**Akane's Journal** : _Mon - 4 Jun_

I'm such a klutz! Damn it, and things were going so well! I even convinced Ranma to work out with me, and I was doing a lot better, I know it. Then I went a tripped over a stupid ball! I scraped up my knee and twisted my ankle. The ankle really hurts, too!

With the match taking place tomorrow, I'm not going to be able to compete because of this. I'm so mad at myself! Ranma's going to take my place instead. He's down in the dojo right now training with Ryoga. I offered to stay and watch, but they both insisted I go to bed. Ranma's actually pretty amazing already. He says it's from watching me practice all week.

It hardly seems like he needed to practice. If he can just do the stuff tomorrow I saw him doing tonight, then he's a cinch to win! I think I might even make a small bet on him with Nabiki. Of course, I'm not paying any attention to that nonsense about the winner getting Ranma. Still, it is sort of amusing to think of Ranma fighting in my place to win his right to stay with me.

**Ranma's Journal** : _Tue - 5 Jun_

Well, I won of course. Though it was closer than I like to think. Damn but that girl cheats! And damn that Ryoga too! Trying to make me lose, the stupid little pig.

I skipped last night's entry cause I stayed up all night "practicing" with Ryoga. The jerk was trying to hurt me so that I'd lose the match. He seemed to be hoping that I'd feel bound to date Kodachi if she won. As if.

Why was I the one fighting in the match? Last night Akane tripped herself and hurt her ankle. They needed another female martial artist, and everybody decided that meant me. They didn't even bother to ask. It was a pity, too. Akane really had gotten better. I'm afraid to think what might've happened if she'd been the one to fight, the way Kodachi was cheating, but if there hadn't been any cheating - Akane might've actually had a chance.

I really don't feel like saying much about the match, except to repeat that I won. Ryoga's curse was almost revealed too, but it's just as well it wasn't, as everyone would've seen me as a guy wearing that leotard.

**Akane's Journal** : _Tue - 5 Jun_

I can't believe that baka. He gave his real name for the match. And would you believe, nobody caught on? People just said stuff like "strangers can look alike." I couldn't believe it.

Backing up a bit, that idiot stayed up all night practicing with Ryoga. Practicing, ha! More like fighting. At first I was afraid he'd sleep right through the match, but he seemed to wake up finally. Right at the start Kodachi attached P-chan to Ranma with a chain. I wanted to climb into the ring and beat her up for that! And Ranma, naturally, didn't care at all if he hurt P-chan so long as he won!

Kodachi cheated in all sorts of ways. Clubs with retractable spikes. A hoop with a razor edge. But the worse thing she did was to pour hot water on Ranma. By a miracle I was able to grab a hose and spray him before anyone could realize that he'd turned into a boy. After that Ranma managed to throw Kodachi out of the ring, but she had the rest of her team under the ring, and they moved the ring so that she landed back inside.

Finally, Ranma managed to knock the post out from under Kodachi so that she hit the floor. Which of course meant that she was supposed to give up on Ranma. So did she? Remember, this is perv boy's sister. Of course she didn't. Sigh.

Well, at least our gymnastics team was avenged. So take that, St. Hebereke!

**Akane's Journal** : _Wed - 6 Jun_

Yuka and Sayuri invited me to go ice skating with them tomorrow. I'm looking forward to it. It's been a couple of months since the last time, back before we started high school.

I mentioned it to Ranma tonight, but he just said something insulting about it. Naturally. The jerk. I can't believe I was thinking of inviting him to join us. I must have been out of my mind. He also said that he'd be busy anyway, that he and his friends were going to that ramen restaurant down the street from the skating rink. Funny thing though - it didn't sound like he had plans to do anything of the sort until just that minute.

There were a lot of people at school today who were pestering me for information about a girl named Ranma Saotome. As in, the girl who won the gymnastics match for our high school. I just told them to go bug our Ranma Saotome for the details. I wonder what he told them? Nothing, probably. Hell, he probably told them that he wasn't even at the match and didn't know anything about it.

**Akane's Journal** : _Thu - 7 Jun_

Big news for the day - Ranma and I have been challenged to an ice skating match a week from today. I think we'll be all right. As good as Ranma is at sports, he's bound to be a great skater.

Now that I think about it, Ryoga showed up at the house tonight, and offered to be my partner instead of Ranma. I wonder why? It's not like the two who challenged us insulted him in any way. He's supposed to meet us at the rink tomorrow so that he and Ranma can decide who's the better skater. I'm pretty sure Ranma will be my partner though. I mean, even if Ryoga turns out to be the better skater, chances are he'd get lost and arrive for the match a few days late, right?

I really want to beat these two, Azusa Shiratori and Mikado Sanzenin. They're supposed to be hot shot skaters from Kolkhoz High School. Hmmph. We'll show them. That Azusa tried to steal my P-chan. Then that pervert Mikado tried to kiss me! Oooh! I want to go back in time and punch him sooo bad! I ought to thank Ranma for hitting Mikado in the face with a fish cake to distract him. But I can't - he'd just gloat if I did. I told Ranma later that if he'd been a tenth of a second later with that fish cake I'd have broken Sanzenin's jaw. And I would have too. The only problem is he'd have probably kissed me first since he caught me by surprise, and I'd have been really, really, really, really upset by that. Ugh. It turns my stomach to think that might have been the first kiss a boy gave me. So privately, just here in my journal, where no one else will see, I'll say, "Thank you, Ranma."

Then I'll turn right back around and say, "Ranma, you jerk!" The nerve of him, telling me I have zero sex appeal. As if I'd want to have sex appeal for any of the boys around here. Who wants sex appeal anyway, if all it gets you is perverts like Sanzenin trying to kiss or grope you?

Next Thursday Ranma and I are going to skate circles around those two! We'll show them they challenged the wrong people!

**Ranma's Journal** : _Thu - 7 Jun_

How do I get myself into these things? Next Thursday Akane and me are supposed to pair up against a couple of champion ice skaters for an ice skating contest. I'm going to end up looking like a fool. How the hell am I going to learn how to skate well enough in a week? It's not like the old man ever taught me martial arts ice skating or nothing.

But I got to do it. Otherwise Ryoga's going to be her partner, and ain't no way I'm letting pig boy do that! Hell, he already taught her gymnastics for that match I ended up fighting. If he thinks he's going to come between

What the hell am I writing? Come between Akane and me? There ain't no between, cause we ain't together. Damn. Why do my thoughts always turn crazy whenever it comes to that girl?

And it's all Ryoga's fault to begin with! If he just hadn't let that ditz Azusa kidnap him, none of this would have happened! Some martial artist he is. Okay, so what if he was a pig at the time? He seems to fight with me well enough when he's a pig.

And that creep Sanzenin, trying to kiss Akane! He's lucky the only thing I hit him with was a fish cake! I ought to - dammit, there I go again. C'mon, focus! One way or another, I'm gonna - we're going to win that match next week.

When we were walking home after, Akane said that if I hadn't stopped Sanzenin, she'd have broken his jaw! Whoo, that was great! That cute fist of hers, and the fire in her eyes! It's times like that - I had to pull my cap down so she wouldn't see the way I looked, and I covered up by telling her she had zero sex appeal. Those little moments are when I'm glad my pop didn't get me stuck with someone like Kasumi. You know, nice and normal. Boring. If there's one thing Akane sure ain't, it's boring.

Not that I'm going to marry her or nothing.

**Ranma's Journal** : _Fri - 8 Jun_

I've been sitting here for the last half hour, just staring at the page in front of me. There are no cuss words strong enough for how I'm feeling.

That pervert Sanzenin!

He must die. My first - that thing with the lips. With another guy! When I was a girl! I hate my curse! I hate Sanzenin! I am going to tear him apart. Slowly.

And I can. Because I found out today. It's going to be a martial ice skating match! It doesn't matter if I can barely skate. Nobody's better than me at martial arts, and on Thursday he is going to pay! Oh, how he's going to pay. What I did to him today was just a minor down payment.

And Ryoga. That blasted pig! Blabbing about it to everyone. How dare he! After I kept his secret! Stupid, dishonorable, little - crap, I could go on like that all night.

But Gods, how do I describe what happened in the dojo tonight? I almost, y'know, kissed Akane! I was just trying to make a point. At first. But then she went and dared me! She should've known I couldn't back down after she did that! Why'd she do that? And then to just sit there, with her eyes closed. I think she might have really let me. Except of course everyone chose that moment to stick their noses in. Would I have done it? Would she have let me? What would've happened? Could we have even looked at each other tomorrow?

Did I want to do it?

**Akane's Journal** : _Fri - 8 Jun_

Oh God, I think my heart is still racing. I don't remember coming back into the house, or climbing the stairs to my bedroom. What is wrong with me?

Why am I acting so weird just because Ranma almost kissed me?

The dummy let his guard down at the skating rink today. And he was a girl at the time. So that pervert Sanzenin kissed him. I couldn't believe that someone with Ranma's reflexes didn't manage to stop him. And I felt so sorry for him. Even after he changed back to a boy and pummeled Sanzenin into a catatonic state.

It turns out that it was Ranma's first kiss. And it was with another boy. I can't imagine how he feels. What if my first kiss was with another girl, in front of a crowd of people? Yuck!

Of course, I wasn't going to let him know I sympathized, because he'd just turn around and say something stupid. So I teased him a bit about it, trying to get him out of his depression. Told him he shouldn't have left himself wide open. Which turned out to be one of the stupider things I've done, because he immediately turned around and showed he could have kissed me just as easily. He didn't have the guts to of course.

But why did I have to go and tell him he didn't have the guts? I mean, that was practically daring him to prove that he did. I even closed my eyes! I was really going to let Ranma Saotome kiss me. Why?

And I think he would have, too. Except everybody chose just that moment to interrupt us.

And somehow I'm back up here in my bedroom. I just don't remember how I got here. And I've got no idea what to think about it.

Am I disappointed? That he didn't kiss me? I can't be!

Can I?

I'm not going to think about it anymore. Let's see. What else happened today?

(Growl.) That twit Azusa put a collar on my P-chan. With the name Charlotte on it. And a lock. And she has the only key. She is so getting it Thursday. Oh, P-chan, why did you have to find your way to the ice skating rink today of all days?

(Smile.) And they will get it, too. Because it turns out that it's a martial ice skating match. There is no way that they're better than Ranma or me at martial arts! I don't care how good they are at skating.

At least, it better work out that way. (Sigh.) Because Ranma can't skate to save his life. He and Ryoga both fell down the instant they stepped onto the ice! How can someone be so good at every other sport ever invented, and so rotten on ice skates? I couldn't believe it. Ryoga disappeared shortly after, not that that was entirely unexpected. Somehow I'm just going to have to teach Ranma to skate between now and Thursday.

Did I really want him to kiss me?

**Akane's Journal** : _Sat - 9 Jun_

We went to a different skating rink to practice today. Ranma managed to stay on his feet at least. Maybe by the day of the match he'll even be able to move on his own. (Sigh.) How can someone who learns martial arts so effortlessly have so much trouble learning to skate?

Ranma hasn't said anything about what happened in the dojo last night. I haven't mentioned it either, of course. I wonder if either of us will ever bring it up. Or if we'll just act like it never happened.

On a much sadder note, my little P-chan has vanished again. He was missing last night, but for some reason I didn't notice. I went out searching for him for a while. I hope he finds his way home again. Ranma was a jerk about it, naturally.

**Ranma's Journal** : _Sun - 10 Jun_

What is it about ice that I have so much trouble moving on the stuff? I've fought pop atop fences and bamboo poles, on tree limbs, even on a log rolling in a river! How can ice be so much harder to balance on? Sheesh. I could tell Akane was getting pretty frustrated today, but at least she didn't complain. Not much, anyway.

She hasn't said one word about what happened in the dojo a couple of nights ago. How am I supposed to interpret that? Does she want to forget it ever happened? No way I'm bringing it up first. I wish my old man would shut up about it. He keeps whispering suggestions about trying again. One more time and I swear I'm gonna clobber him.

Had kind of a bizarre dream about it last night. It was right after Nabiki slammed her hands on the dojo floor to interrupt us. Akane and I ran outside, and I tried to kiss her again. Only old man Tendo was suddenly looking over her shoulder at me, sucking on a cigarette. So we ran into the house, and I tried to kiss her in the kitchen. But Kasumi stepped in and told me that wasn't proper. Then we tried again in her bedroom, but Nabiki interrupted us. Next thing I knew we were in our classroom at school, and she closed her eyes and I tried again, but all of a sudden everyone in our class was there, ooh'ing. Then Kuno interrupted us in the gym, Kodachi on the roof of the school, pop down by the canal. I never did manage to kiss her. Not that I wanted to. I mean, I wanted to in the dream, obviously, but it was just a dream. It didn't mean anything. What the hell did it mean?

**Akane's Journal** : _Mon - 11 Jun_

I'm feeling a little better after today's practice. At least Ranma was skating on his own. Yuka and Sayuri said they'd come with us tomorrow. We're going to try playing a game of tag on the ice. I made the suggestion, but Ranma smiled and said it sounded like a good idea. I promised myself I'd make a note of that in my journal tonight, as an event to be noted. So, once again -

Ranma said I had a good idea.

(Giggle.) He can be such a jerk. But sometimes, when he smiles - he's still a jerk. Maybe just not quite as big of one.

I haven't seen Ryoga in the last few days. So probably I was right. He's gotten lost again, and he wouldn't even have been able to make it back in time for the match. Even if he did, he wouldn't have had a chance to practice skating like Ranma has.

Three more days. Then we're going to put the Golden Pair in their place!

**Ranma's Journal** : _Wed - 13 Jun_

The match is tomorrow. I wish I had a few more days but, whatever. We'll win. I'm the best, and the tomboy is too stubborn to lose. And hopefully I'll have the chance to beat the crap out of that Sanzenin creep some more. I want him to know he's been beaten!

Haven't seen Ryoga in several days. Good riddance! This way I don't have to worry about him causing any trouble at the rink tomorrow. Not that I have to worry about him trying to be Akane's partner. After all, he hasn't been around to practice, and I'm not doing too bad. Good enough, anyway, given how good I can fight.

Had another dream, make that a nightmare, where I was running around from room to room, except this time I was trying to avoid getting kissed. I was a girl, and it was Sanzenin chasing after me. (Gag.) I've never been so glad to have pop wake me up by tossing me out the window into the koi pond.

**Akane's Journal** : _Thu - 14 Jun_

That idiot Ranma! There was one point today where I almost felt - well, who cares now? I can't believe

No, I should tell it in the proper order. I bet this is going to fill up a couple of pages.

So - of course, we had the ice skating match today. It started off pretty well, even if Ranma did screw up a little when we entered the rink. Stupid show off.

Right off that pervert Sanzenin tried to kiss me again. Ranma tried to help, but Shiratori knocked him off. Still, it gave me the leverage I needed and I threw Sanzenin off of me. I don't really remember too much of what happened next, except for Ranma and me nearly hitting the wall.

This next part - why did he say it? Did he mean it? Does he really think of me as his fiancée now? Ranma told Sanzenin, told everyone, that I'm his fiancée. Then he threatened to kill Sanzenin if he tried to kiss me again. I didn't know what to think. At the time I had to focus on winning the fight, but now -

Could he have really meant it? But if he did, why did he later - But I'm getting ahead of myself again. It's just, that Chinese bimbo - no, deep breath, write it down like it happened.

Somehow we ended up in the air, spinning around. Sanzenin and Shiratori were holding Ranma and he was holding me. If he let go, I'd have been thrown into the wall. But he wouldn't let go. The look in his eyes - he was so determined! It made me think, but then why, arggh! He's driving me crazy!

Shiratori let go of us, and we were going to hit the wall. Hard! I was scared to death! But somehow Ranma twisted us around, and he was the one who hit the wall! He saved me! Took the hit himself. He was hurt so bad. He could barely stand. I told him to stay down. I was willing to lose the fight at that moment. Even willing to lose P-chan. Had I taken leave of my senses? Ranma looked so vulnerable at that moment. I remember I was crying. Stupid jerk! Why does he make me feel this way!

Things got crazy after that. The lights turned off for a minute, and when they came back on, Ryoga was there and Ranma was a girl. They took over the fight with the Golden Pair, leaving me out of it, except they were fighting each other more than their opponents. And that pervert Sanzenin kissed my hand! I feel slimy just remembering it!

What next? Ryoga cracked the ice, which fell apart into chunks floating in the water. Sanzenin was knocked out while Ryoga and Ranma were fighting, so we won. So did they stop fighting? Ha! Of course not. I tried to make them stop, but they didn't.

Actually, I'm a bit ashamed - one of the pieces of ice I threw at them, Ranma was forced to dodge it. It let Ryoga get in a good kick. I thought he'd knocked Ranma out, and it was my fault. But Ranma managed to dodge Ryoga's followup strike at the last second. That's just about the last thing I remember. I fell into the water and - I'm glad I don't remember anything about that.

When I woke up I was dressed again, and Yuka and Sayuri were there with me. And so were Ranma and P-chan. And P-chan didn't have that stupid collar on! They told me that P-chan had even rescued me! He's such a good little piggy!

Well, that's the first half of tonight's entry. What happened next was unbelievable! ...

**Ranma's Journal** : _Thu - 14 Jun_

This may just have been the craziest day of my life so far. Even if I include the day I got cursed, or the day I met Akane. Where do I begin?

When I got to Kolkhoz High, who should I see but Ryoga? The twit found his way there in time after all. So I splashed him and chained the pig to the winner's cup. Ha ha ha! Too bad he got loose before the match was over.

Then Sanzenin tried to annoy me in the dressing room before the match. Jackass. As if I'd let something like that get on my nerves. He doesn't hold a candle to my pop when it comes to trash talking.

When the match started, the pervert tried to kiss Akane again. Luckily she was able to get away after I jumped on him. I let him know what would happen the next time he tried it too! I did slip up and call Akane my fiancée for some reason. Excitement of the moment I guess. Or something.

Then they used an interesting move on us. They called it the couple cleaver. Sanzenin standing on the ice, spinning, with Azusa on his shoulders. She was holding my feet, and I was holding Akane's hands. The idea was, if I let go of Akane, she'd fly into the wall and get hurt. The weaklings couldn't keep it up though. Azusa lost her grip on me, and Akane and me both flew into the wall. I made sure I hit first, of course.

Damn that hurt. Akane seemed pretty upset, too. She was actually crying! Told me not to push myself, like she was actually willing to forfeit the match. Why? Okay, I was hurt pretty bad, but you got to go on, right? Still, the way she was kneeling there, holding my hand, squeezing it, bent over and looking down at me. The look in her eyes. I must've been hurt worse than I thought, cause my heart seemed to be beating funny and I had a weird feeling in my gut.

Then Ryoga went and ruined it all, the idiot. He turned off the lights and splashed me, so that he could take my place as Akane's partner. Except he screwed up as usual and kicked Akane out of the rink. When the lights came back on he was holding my hand.

Would you believe they actually made us change our clothes right out there on the ice rink? In these little portable dressing rooms, but even so.

After that the fight was on. The fight between me and Ryoga, that is. Sanzenin and Azusa were just in the way. Sanzenin got knocked out somewhere along the way. So I guess we won. Then Akane started getting in the middle of the fight, messing me up so Ryoga could get some lucky hits in. It finally ended when Akane fell in the water. Did I forget to mention that the fight broke the ice up, and it turned out there was a swimming pool under it?

And wouldn't you know? It turns out the tomboy can't swim. There she is, Furinkan's top star at all the girls' sports, and she sinks like a rock. Then to top it off, Ryoga dove in right beside me. Stupid idiot apparently forgot his curse.

So I got Akane back up to the surface before she breathed in too much water, and got her out. With the pig pulling on her sleeve, like that was a big help. I got her to cough up the water, and she seemed to be all right, even if she didn't wake right up. Not that I was worried or nothing. Oh, and Azusa came over and took the collar off of Ryoga. I was kind of surprised that she kept her word. Disappointed too. (Snicker.)

Yuka and Sayuri got Akane out of her wet skating outfit and back into her school uniform. Then we just had to wait for her to wake up. Which she did of course. Seemed just fine, too. If only that had been the end of this crazy day.

Instead, who should suddenly decide to show up in Japan? ...

* * *

**Author's note:**

Chapter 5 will start with the second half of the journal entries from June 14th. If I had included the first Shampoo arc, it would have made this chapter longer than I'm aiming for in this story - in fact, even without Shampoo it's already longer than what I'm aiming for. So splitting the entries for the 14th seemed the simplest way to go.

_Related sites on the web:_ Please visit my profile page for information on upcoming chapters or stories, by clicking on my name at the top of this chapter. My profile also has links to my web site, LiveJournal site and forum. The web site contains the official versions of my stories. The LiveJournal site provides updates on what I am working upon at any given time. The forum is a place to discuss my stories or _Ranma 1/2_ in general.


	5. Shampoo and Interlude

**Nerima Journals  
By M. Zephyr**

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is a trademark of Rumiko Takahashi and VIZ Communications, and its characters have been borrowed without permission. This story was written for non-commercial purposes only.

Ranma x Akane. The lives of Ranma and Akane as seen through their journal entries. What is reproduced here is only a selection of entries from their journals.

* * *

**Chapter 5. Shampoo and Interlude**

**Akane's Journal** : _Thu - 14 Jun_

... just simply unbelievable!

Like I said, I woke up and Yuka, Sayuri, Ranma and P-chan were all there. Then the wall exploded! A Chinese girl was there, carrying a couple of maces, and she wanted to kill Ranma! Ranma managed to hide and we got rid of her for the moment.

So Ranma told us the story. Her name is Shampoo. Seems that when he was in China, Ranma ate her prize from some contest, challenged her, won, and Shampoo was so ashamed that she gave him something called the Kiss of Death. A promise to hunt him down and kill him. Except Shampoo thought Ranma was a girl.

We got home to find Shampoo waiting for us. She didn't recognize Ranma because he was a boy. She and I got into a fight, and what does that baka do? He interferes of course. He knocked her out. Sometimes he makes me so mad, getting in the way like that.

When Shampoo woke up, she - she - she kissed him! Ooh! They tried to convince me later she did it because of some stupid law, but that jerk Ranma told her he wanted to "get to know her better." Can you believe that! After what he said during the skating match! What he said to Sanzenin was obviously just an act. The jerk. Jerk! Jerk! Jerk!

And I told him so too! And I let him know that the engagement is off!

JERK!

**Ranma's Journal** : _Thu - 14 Jun_

... I'll tell you who. Shampoo! That crazy Chinese chick who chased me all the way across China! Still trying to kill me.

I managed to throw her off my trail at the school, only to find her waiting at home. My stupid pop let her follow him back! Then Ryoga tries to cause trouble, trying to change me into a girl.

Then Shampoo kissed me! Woops, no wait. That wasn't next. Akane and Shampoo got into a fight. Shampoo tried to hit Akane with one of her chui. But Akane stopped it, with her bare hands! Damn! Gotta admit, that was pretty impressive. Pity she couldn't stop the other one as easy. So I stepped in before she got hurt, and ended up knocking Shampoo cold by accident.

(Sigh.) If only I had known.

Turns out she wanted to kill me 'cause I beat her as a girl. Not just 'cause I beat her. They got a law that says they got to kill a girl that beats them, but they got to marry a guy that beats them!

Dammit! I already got one crazy fiancée! I don't need another!

Though Shampoo is kind of cute. If only Akane - ah, hell. I thought Akane would go on and on about it, but the only thing she had to say was that our engagement was off. Oh, and she slapped me too, but nothing new about that. I wonder if she really meant it?

And I'm going to have to think of something special to do to Ryoga. He changed me into a girl so that Shampoo could start chasing me and trying to kill me again. I wonder what sort of recipes Kasumi has for pork?

**Ranma's Journal** : _Fri - 15 Jun_

The day started out bad, and got worse. That crazy chick Shampoo was in bed with me when I woke up. The crazy tomboy must have been mad about it, cause she woke me up with a pail of water. Which of course started my day as a girl with Shampoo trying to kill me.

Later on Shampoo showed up at school. Busted in through the wall again. Tried to serve Ryoga up to me on a platter. As a pig of course. I got to admit, that - really threw me at first. But it turned out he wasn't dead, so now it's just funny. Akane was pretty upset though, and she and Shampoo got into another fight.

At least Shampoo didn't kill Akane, but what she did do was almost worse, in a way. She erased all of Akane's memory of me! The tomboy doesn't remember anything about me at all.

Doctor Tofu figured it out. Seems Shampoo used some special Chinese shampoo and a shiatsu technique called the Xi Fa Xiang Gao. I just need to get a different shampoo to cure Akane, and Shampoo agreed to give it to me so long as I "almost kill" my female side. As soon as I hunt Ryoga down, I'm going to offer to let him beat me up. I figure he'll jump at the chance. That should qualify as almost killing me, and then I can cure Akane.

I wish I could cure Doc Tofu of his Kasumi attacks. I wouldn't have to go through this nonsense to get the shampoo from Shampoo - damn, that's confusing - except he tore up the formula for it when he saw Kasumi. Why does everything have to be so much trouble?

**Akane's Journal** : _Fri - 15 Jun_

I'm scared. Really scared. There's a strange boy living in our house and everyone seems to accept this, as if it were normal. They all tell me that he's my fiancé. But - I'd remember something like that! I'd have to! Wouldn't I?

But that's not the scary thing. The really scary thing is that I flipped back to the earlier entries in my journal, and they talk about this boy! In my handwriting! Could I have really written them? How could I not remember things like that! A boy, who's cursed to turn into a girl, and who's supposed to be engaged to me! It's got to be some sort of practical joke, right? Nabiki found my journal, somehow, and forged the entries. I can't have just forgotten such things.

P-chan is waiting for me on my bed. I'm going to go curl up with him and pull the blankets up and hope this is some nightmare that will disappear when I wake up.

I hate feeling so scared.

**Akane's Journal** : _Sat - 16 Jun_

I reread last night's entry. It feels so weird to read it. It really was scary, having part of my memory gone like that, looking back at my own words as if someone else had written them. I can't express how glad I am to be able to remember everything again.

And Ranma did it. He's the one who broke through, made me remember. Of course, he did it by insulting me. (Sigh.) Typical Ranma. I am grateful though, at least for the end if not the means.

And Shampoo is gone. Ranma told her he was really a girl, and she believed him and didn't kill him. I'm glad to see her go. Honestly, she needs help. Anyone who would say "Obstacles are for killing" needs to be locked up in an institution somewhere.

So I guess Ranma and I are still engaged. Or engaged again. Or something. I wonder what he thinks about that. I wonder what I think about that.

**Ranma's Journal** : _Sat - 16 Jun_

1. Akane's memory is back. 2. Shampoo is gone.

Apparently Akane could remember just a little about me. How we got along, or something. Once we realized that, all I had to do was use all my usual insults, and she remembered everything, no problem. Well, one problem. She slugged me for insulting her. But hey - at least she remembers me now.

I finally had the brilliant idea to show Shampoo my curse. I told her I was really a girl. After all, she can't marry me if I'm not a guy. For a moment, I was afraid she'd still try to kill me. But my natural charm came through and she couldn't bring herself to do it, just like I figured. (Okay, so I was worried she might not give up on the killing, and hoping for a miracle. It's my journal, and I'll tell it the way I want to.)

Ryoga was completely useless. He wouldn't even try to beat me up at first, the jerk. Then when he did, I forgot myself and beat him up instead. After Shampoo left, he tried to talk me into going after her. As if. Akane might be a tomboy, and a bit short-tempered when I tease her, but at least she ain't ever tried to kill me. Yet. Then there's her smile that

Ah, I must be getting sleepy. Time for bed.

**Akane's Journal** : _Sun - 17 Jun_

Ranma was, how do I say this? He hovered today. Like he didn't want to let me out of his sight. It was a bit unnerving. He even challenged me to a game of shogi. This is sort of amusing - he apologized twice to me during the game for cheating and moved the pieces back. Said he was too used to playing with his father. There was one point during the game where he looked up at me, all serious like, and told me he was glad I got my memory back. I told him I was glad too. It was the only time all day that he mentioned what happened.

Oh yeah. He won the game, drat him. I made him work hard for it though. He even admitted as much. And he promised to give me a rematch sometime soon.

I just can't figure him out. In the skating match, he acted like he cared. Then he lets that Chinese hussy hang all over him. Then he uses insults to bring my memory back. Then he spends most of the day with me, even though nobody was making him. What's really going on inside his head?

For that matter, what's going on inside mine? I wish I knew. It's not like I had to let him hang around today. Why does he make me feel so mixed up?

**Ranma's Journal** : _Tue - 19 Jun_

You want to know the absolute worst place to be when the weather turns hot? Inside a school. I heard it hit 30 today. Not so terrible if you're outdoors, hell I've been places it got a lot hotter than that. I'm almost ashamed to think of 30 as hot. But inside that school - no air conditioning, no air movement, sweat running down everyone's faces and backs. Of course, I acted like none of it affected me. Got to show them I'm the tough martial artist who can take bitter cold or broiling heat. Inside though I was wilting.

It was so hot even the smart kids were slumped down in their seats, not paying attention. Some guys were horsing around by the swimming pool before gym class just so they could "accidentally" fall in. To top things off, at dinner Nabiki says the weather guy on TV is predicting it'll be even hotter tomorrow. Maybe I'll play hooky.

After dinner Kasumi brought out slices of watermelon. They really hit the spot. I challenged Akane to a seed spitting contest, and she accepted! Surprised the hell out of me. She really is a tomboy. We had a lot of fun at it though. Damn that girl can spit a seed a long way.

**Ranma's Journal** : _Wed - 20 Jun_

It was even hotter today than yesterday. The thermometer downtown read 32 degrees. By lunchtime I couldn't stand the thought of sitting in that classroom any longer. I still can't believe what I overheard next. Akane, of all people, suggesting to Yuka and Sayuri that they play hooky for the rest of the day and go ice skating. The other two girls agreed. I had to admit to myself that the idea of being near ice sounded really good, so now that I know how to skate a little, I decided I'd show up there too.

Akane seemed pretty surprised when she skated by and saw me. She turned around really fast to stare, and ran into someone. After I stopped laughing I decided to unbend enough to apologize for startling her. She complained a little about my interrupting her time with her friends, but the funny thing is she stayed nearby and we didn't see a lot of Yuka and Sayuri after that. Turned out to be a pretty nice afternoon.

When we got home, though, Kasumi scolded both of us for skipping school. I don't know how she knew. I guess maybe the school called her, except I didn't really think anyone would have bothered. Unfortunately she made us promise not to cut classes again, and it's supposed to stay hot the rest of the week. I wonder what the teachers would do if I went to school in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt?

**Akane's Journal** : _Thu - 21 Jun_

Happy first day of summer! It really felt like it today too. It was murder being trapped in the school all day. I wished I could skip out again like I did yesterday, but I did promise I wouldn't. It's so awful to sit there and feel the sweat making my shirt stick to me under my jumper. Ugh. It's a pity we can't wear swimsuits to class. Okay, that's got to be one of my stupider ideas. If we did, those perverted boys would be a hundred times worse.

Ranma surprised me after school when he suggested we go over to the skating rink again. I really didn't think he liked skating that much. The idea sounded pretty good to me though. All that ice. It was just Ranma and me today - Yuka and Sayuri went to the theater to catch some silly romantic movie that didn't interest me at all. I don't see why the heroine can't rescue herself instead of having to wait for some man to come for her.

Things have been pretty peaceful since Shampoo left. Even perv boy hasn't been much of a pest. Probably he feels it's too hot to stand there waving his bokken around and blowing out even more hot air with his speeches. (Giggle.) Ranma and I haven't even had any major arguments. Heck, I don't think we've had any arguments at all since, let's see, three days ago when he said he didn't care that P-chan had disappeared.

I wonder if there's any chance that things could stay this peaceful?

I'd fall on the floor and laugh my head off, if it weren't such a depressing thought.

**Ranma's Journal** : _Fri - 22 Jun_

Gave Akane her rematch at shogi tonight after dinner, and she won. We sat out on the engawa and played, hoping a breeze would blow by. The air was pretty still though, unfortunately. Akane's a pretty good player. Well, duh, after all she beat me. Of course, I was just a bit distracted. She was wearing this loose shirt, pretty thin material too, and the sweat - well, like I said, it was distracting.

So I've wrapped up my first season in Nerima and it's summer now. Hard to believe I've been living here for less than two months so far. Seems like it's been a lot longer. Hell, it was just two months ago yesterday I fell in at Jusenkyo. Not an anniversary I really want to remember.

At least I shouldn't have to worry about Pop making me work in any farm fields this summer or the coming autumn and calling it training. I wonder what we'll do in a month once school lets out and summer break starts. Maybe the old man and I can go on one or two short training trips somewhere, even if he does plan to keep living here. I think I'll talk to him about that.

Man, I hope we don't have too many more hot spells like this before the end of term. Or I may be tempted to remove the entire outside wall from our classroom.

**Ranma's Journal** : _Sat - 23 Jun_

No school today, but man, the temperature got all the way up to 36. Not any kind of record, of course, but hotter than it deserves to be this time of year. Pretty uncomfortable.

Akane and Nabiki told me they were going to sunbathe, and invited me to join them. I got all nervous, and tongue-tied, and asked how the hell you bathe in the sun. I won't bother to write down what I was picturing, but I couldn't even look at Akane. Then they explained what it meant. Felt sort of stupid afterward.

Anyway, I went outside with them. I don't have a swimsuit so I just stuck with the shorts I was already wearing. Pulled off my t-shirt, and lay down. At first I didn't see much point. After all, I'm pretty used to getting tan in the summer just 'cause I was always outdoors. I suppose that might not be as true now that I'm living here. After awhile I started to relax and it felt kind of nice.

Akane and Nabiki were wearing swimsuits. That gave me a bit of trouble, 'cause I was afraid Akane would get mad if she caught me looking at her. Not that I wanted to of course. Leastways, that's what I told her just before she hauled off and hit me for no reason. Got to admit, she did fill out her suit pretty nice. It was also weird to look over at her just lying there, doing nothing, looking peaceful. I guess I see her as too full of energy to lie so still like that.

There was one point where Akane was putting some lotion on herself, and she looked over at me like she was considering asking me something. Then she sort of shook her head and asked Nabiki to put lotion on her back. She couldn't have been thinking about asking me to do that. Could she? Not that I care.

**Akane's Journal** : _Mon - 25 Jun_

The heat wave finally broke! Right before breakfast the sky opened up and the rain poured down in waves. You could feel it getting cooler even though the day hadn't had a chance to start really heating up yet. All of us except Nabiki and Uncle Saotome went out into the yard to run around in the rain, laughing and enjoying it. Even Ranma didn't seem to mind turning into a girl.

Not until we went to school anyway. There was no way for him to arrive there as a boy, not with it raining like that. Perv boy accosted his "pigtailed goddess" and earned himself a nap out in the rain on a bench. Ranma had to wait for his clothes to dry a bit before he could change back to a boy. At first they were so drenched that the water in them would trigger his curse. So he was late and ended up holding buckets in the hall. He said it was better than letting people find out about his curse though.

He was more cheerful by the end of the school day. The rain stopped before lunch, and the temperature was pleasant. It only got up to about 21 or so. Of course, there were so many puddles around that Ranma was a girl again before we got home.

I can't believe I almost forgot! P-chan is back! And of course that baka had to say something nasty about my little piggy. Honestly, you'd think he was jealous or something, if that wasn't so stupid.

**Akane's Journal** : _Tue - 26 Jun_

There was some sort of commotion outside of the gym class today. I went to the window to look and arrived just in time to hear Ranma calling me a "macho chick," while he hung there on the window. Honestly, why does he have to be so mean? I knocked him off the window and went back to the class.

I had a dream last night where I was in a car with Ranma and we were driving somewhere. I don't know where we were going, but it was raining hard outside the car. Then there were flashing lights behind us and Ranma pulled over to the side of the road. He rolled down the window and the rain came in and changed him into a girl. Then the policeman walked up and asked to see his license. Except his license showed him as a boy. So there Ranma was, trying to explain to this policeman that he has a curse that changes him into a girl, and the officer isn't buying it at all, and is telling him to get out of the car.

After that the dream started getting crazy. Perv boy drove up and he was a police officer also. Ryoga sped past going very fast on a motorcycle with these great big handlebars up above his head, and perv boy jumped into his car and chased off after him. Then the police officer hauled Ranma and me back to a courtroom, and Kodachi was the judge. Somehow Ranma had changed back to a boy, but Kodachi said he was guilty anyway and his sentence was to go on a date with her. But then a panda bear came in wearing a white coat holding a sign reading "There you are" and he put a straitjacket on Kodachi and took her away. And Ranma said he was glad because there was no way he was going to date a judge. Then Daddy came in dressed up like a British judge with a powdered wig and everything, and he splashed Ranma changing him into a girl, said it was time for their date, and dragged him away.

Maybe the next time I want a snack right before bed I should ask Kasumi to make it instead of making it myself.

**Ranma's Journal** : _Tue - 26 Jun_

That creepy kid, whatshisname, Gosunkugi, was taking photographs of Akane in gym class today. I caught him at it, gave him a bit of a scare. Good for a laugh. Then Hiroshi and some other boys ran up and asked him for copies of the pictures. What's up with that, anyway?

I think maybe I better keep an eye on that Gosunkugi guy though. I don't want him hanging around Akane, or spying on her, or nothing like that. I don't think I like the idea of him taking photos of Akane either, especially if he's going to share them with everyone. Something about that just makes me queasy. I guess it's because he seems like a bit of a freak.

Huh, listen to me. Calling someone else a freak. As if I don't get called that enough myself, when people find out about my curse.

The weirdest thing of all? He pulled a hair out of my head and ran off with it. Man, I hope he ain't one of those kind of guys, wanting something to remember me by. 'Cause I do not want to put up with that again.

**Akane's Journal** : _Wed - 27 Jun_

I was walking down the side of the school today to get around to the back when I saw Ranma up ahead, standing at the corner. At first I didn't think much of it, thought I'd try a civil "Hello" as I passed him, but then I stopped when I got a closer look. He was looking around the corner, but seemed to be holding himself mostly out of sight of whatever was back there. He had his hands shoved way down into his pockets, and this look on his face that I'm not sure I can describe. Once I saw the reason - well, I guess it was the expression someone might have if he's lost something and isn't sure that he's ever going to get it back.

Anyway, I decided not to let him know I'd seen him. I ducked through the side door and down the hall to the back door. Before I went outside, I took a look out the window to see if I could guess what he was looking at. It took me a minute to get it. There were several boys in the swimming pool, horsing around. Like they were playing some game but mostly ignoring the rules. I think maybe it's the first time I ever really thought about how there are things that Ranma might remember doing from before, that he'll never be able to do again unless he finds some cure for his curse. For some reason, it sort of shook me.

I saw Ranma in the dojo a little while ago, working out really hard. He seemed distracted. Like he was trying to take his mind off of something.

Arggh! Why is this entire entry about Ranma! Let me think. We did gymnastics in gym class again today. That was fun, although Sayuri had to go to the nurse after she fell off the beam. Yuka told me that a cousin of hers is getting married in Hawaii. Umm. I finished my history report. Damn this is getting lame. I've got to start doing things to write about that don't involve that baka.

**Ranma's Journal** : _Wed - 27 Jun_

Both Kasumi and Nabiki told me that Gosunkugi was asking them questions about me today. Or rather, Nabiki did. Kasumi could only tell me that some boy was asking her questions, but after she described him I'm pretty sure it was Gosunkugi.

Dammit, I never know how to handle this sort of thing. It ain't something Pop ever taught me about. I guess I'd better get the jerk alone sometime tomorrow, and explain to him that I ain't interested in guys that way. Hell, you'd have thought he was straight the way he keeps trying to take photos of Akane. Of course, she is a tomboy, but she ain't that much of a tomboy.

* * *

**Author's note:**

_Related sites on the web:_ Please visit my profile page for information on upcoming chapters or stories, by clicking on my name at the top of this chapter. My profile also has links to my web site, LiveJournal site and forum. The web site contains the official versions of my stories. The LiveJournal site provides updates on what I am working upon at any given time. The forum is a place to discuss my stories or _Ranma 1/2_ in general.


	6. The Cat's Kiss

**Nerima Journals  
By M. Zephyr**

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is a trademark of Rumiko Takahashi and VIZ Communications, and its characters have been borrowed without permission. This story was written for non-commercial purposes only.

Ranma x Akane. The lives of Ranma and Akane as seen through their journal entries. What is reproduced here is only a selection of entries from their journals.

* * *

**Chapter 6. The Cat's Kiss**

**Ranma's Journal** : _Thu - 28 Jun_

Had a talk with that Gosunkugi fellow today. I'm relieved to say that he don't seem interested in me that way. Fact is, he turned sort of green when he finally figured out what I was saying. Of course, that don't explain what he's been up to, and he ran off before I could convince him to tell me. Not that I'm too sure how to get him to talk. I can't beat up a frail little kid like that.

He took a couple of photographs of me too, one at school and one on the way home. I just waved the first time and stuck my tongue out at him the second. I wonder if he's in the yearbook club or something.

Akane's been kind of quiet lately, but seems okay. We ain't had too many arguments, except over that damn pig of hers. She sat down beside me at dinner tonight and - I'm not too sure how to say it. We had dinner like normal people. Eating, talking, passing food when asked. Why should normal seem weird?

**Akane's Journal** : _Fri - 29 Jun_

It's been pretty peaceful lately. I feel like adding in this spooky voice, "Too peaceful." When did it become strange for things to be peaceful? The day Ranma showed up at our door, I guess. No, that's unfair. Perv boy already had the boys attacking me before Ranma showed up, so I can't claim things were peaceful back then.

The only odd thing to mention happened on the way home after school. Ranma was running along the fence like normal when one of our classmates jumped up from behind a trash can and snapped a photograph of him. It didn't faze Ranma though. He just stuck up two fingers in a V-sign and kept running. Since he had sort of challenged me to whether I could get home faster running along the sidewalk, I kept running too.

In other news, I went out after supper and bought that new CD I've been waiting for. I just hope I can find a chance when Ranma's not around to play it. I'm always scared that he'll tease me if he catches me singing along when I'm listening to music. After all, he never has anything nice to say about anything else I do.

Oh, and Yuka invited Sayuri and me to sleep over at her house tomorrow night. It'll be nice to get away for a night. Sometimes I feel like Ranma's presence has come to fill our whole house, like I can't turn around without some reminder of him. It's not really that awful, but like I said, I could use a break.

**Ranma's Journal** : _Sat - 30 Jun_

Last day of June. That creep Gosunkugi is still taking photos of me. What the hell is he up to? I saw his head pop up over the wall and snap one while out was out in the yard exercising. I posed to show him I knew he was there. I wish I could just beat the truth out of him, but I'm afraid he'd break.

When I finished my workout I heard some music. Guess I was making too much noise to hear it before that. Then I heard a voice singing along. I thought at first it must be Kasumi. I sometimes hear her singing when she's doing housework. I followed the sound and ended up beneath Akane's window. Surprised the hell out of me. The way she screams at me, I wouldn't of imagined she could sing. I thought of jumping up to her window and teasing her, but - I don't know, just didn't feel like it. I guess I was tired from my workout, cause I just sat down with my back to the wall and rested. Finally decided I'd rested enough after the music stopped.

**Akane's Journal** : _Sun - 1 Jul_

Last night at Yuka's wasn't as much fun as I'd hoped. It seems I can't escape from Ranma anywhere. Almost as soon as I was there they started pestering me with questions about him, asking whether we'd kissed, whether I thought I really would marry him, and all sorts of other stuff. Some of it was really embarrassing. I finally had to raise my voice to get them to stop.

Except then they started talking about boys in general. Oh, who am I kidding? They started talking about sex. So even if they didn't mention Ranma's name, it was like I could still hear them thinking about him whenever they looked at me, and I couldn't stop blushing. I begged them to talk about something else, but they seemed to be enjoying themselves. Sayuri teased me about not being interested. Just between me and these pages, that's not true. But it shouldn't be so, well, public.

When I threatened to leave they stopped for real. We put on a movie, and painted each other's toenails. I was nervous about getting mine done, but my socks are hiding it. I think I'd die if Ranma saw them. I wonder if I can borrow some nail polish remover from Kasumi without explaining why I want it?

**Ranma's Journal** : _Mon - 2 Jul_

This afternoon was sort of weird. It started when I stopped by my locker at the end of school. I found a note there asking me to meet Gosunkugi in the school's dojo on top of Kuno's head. It seemed amusing, so I did. Then Gosunkugi threw all sorts of critters on me - snakes, lizards, spiders, the works. It turns out he's been looking for my weak spot. I figure that's why he's been taking all those photos, which is a load off my mind.

Then I think I went a bit too far. I agreed to go on a date with Kuno if he could find my weak spot. As a girl of course. He doesn't have much chance but, damn, what possessed me? What if he does find out by some odd chance?

It could happen, too. I ran into one of those demon creatures on the way home, before I even got out of the schoolyard. If it happened closer to the dojo Kuno might have seen. Then the secret would be out. I was kind of lucky nobody saw as it was.

**Akane's Journal** : _Tue - 3 Jul_

Cats. His weak spot is cats. Can you believe it? Cute little cats. All because of some martial arts technique his father tried to train him in. I suppose I should have expected that. How could Uncle Saotome be so cruel to his own son? I was glad when Ranma hit him after he explained what he'd done.

Could this be part of the reason daddy didn't train me as hard as Ranma was trained? Because the training would have to be like that, and he couldn't bring himself to be that cruel to me? I don't think that's the whole answer, but - it is something to think about. There's no way I would've wanted to go through that neko-ken training.

To tell the truth, I'm feeling sorry for Ranma right now. Hard to believe, eh? Everybody scared him with cats earlier, and he practically went into a coma. I got him to bed and tried to comfort him, keeping a damp cloth on his forehead and so on. He was shaking so hard! He finally went to sleep, but he seemed to be tossing and turning a lot.

It felt kind of weird to be acting like I cared for the baka. What was even weirder was that nobody else seemed to care. Even Kasumi brought in a couple of the cats they scared Ranma with. I hope nobody took it the wrong way. Me looking after him, I mean.

**Akane's Journal** : _Wed - 4 Jul_

I just - can't write straight - Ooh! - kissed me - grrr - Shampoo's back! - That BAKA!! Baka baka baka!!

Take a deep breath. I can do this.

To think I started out feeling sorry for the jerk! That boy in our homeroom that everyone teases, Gosunkugi, put on a dress and pretended to be me! All because of some warped plan to scare Ranma by trapping him in a room with a bunch of cats. I couldn't figure out what he was up to until after I saw perv boy later. I always thought Gosunkugi was okay, just a bit weird. It looks like he's as stupid as every other boy at that school.

He dropped me in the room underneath the stage by mistake. That's where he had all the cats. Then the dummy knocked himself in, and Ranma followed after us. That baka's curiosity is going to get him killed someday. So we found out about all the cats and Ranma started to lose it, even though he tried to pretend that he was okay. Then I made the mistake of trying to get him out of there.

I'm very, very upset with Ranma-baka right now. But intellectually, at least, I can admit that the prize for idiocy today has to go to Gosunkugi. He had a tiger in the next room. A tiger! And why? Because he "thought it would scare Ranma." Arrgh! Who wouldn't be scared?! In fact, that's exactly what I told him!

That's when things got positively weird. Ranma roared. It frightened everyone, even the tiger. I found out some of what was going on from Ranma's father, but had to wait until I got home for Kasumi to tell me the rest. It seems the way the neko-ken works is that if Ranma gets too scared by cats he starts to think he's a cat. Somehow he can even tear things up as if he had claws.

The tiger and all of the cats ran away as fast as they could, with Ranma right behind them. Perv boy got in the way. Ranma tore up his bokken and the gym floor with whatever he was using in the place of claws, then he ran outside. I was looking around trying to find some way to stop him and spotted a bag - turned out to be full of catnip. That puzzled me at the time but later I figured out Gosunkugi must have used it to lure the cats there. So I ran outside with it, just in time to spot Uncle Saotome trying to get Ranma out of a tree by dressing up as an old woman. It didn't work though. He and the tree got shredded.

Tonight's entry is getting long, isn't it? But it was all so strange - I don't want to forget any of it. I wanted to stop Ranma running around and I thought maybe the catnip would help. So I grabbed a bow from a member of the archery club, and shot the bag toward Ranma hoping it would get his attention. Unfortunately, it did.

It's going to be hard to write the next part. It hurts - no, better tell it in order.

He seemed to go wild after he tore into the catnip. When he jumped at me I screamed! I was scared he was going to claw me up like he did his father. Except he just knocked me down and lay in my lap. He seemed almost - affectionate. Other people said it was because I was his fiancée, which really embarrassed me. I mean, he's certainly never shown me any affection because of that before, so I know that wasn't the reason.

That's when it happened. Why? How could he? In front of everyone! He doesn't even remember it!

He kissed me.

The baka kissed me. And for a moment it was - but then I heard everyone gasp, and I wanted to sink into the ground, and I knocked him away, and I ran, and ran, and - ended up at Tofu-sensei's clinic. Ranma kissed me. But he didn't know me. It wasn't because I'm his fiancée. He had no idea what he was doing.

My first kiss. And I got it from someone who didn't even know what he was doing, or why. Oh damn. I'm nearly out of tissues, and the ink is starting to run.

Poor Tofu-sensei. I cried so hard. Last time I had a good cry at the clinic I felt better after. This time I felt worse. Why did I have to get engaged to such a jerk?! Why couldn't it have been someone who cared about me? Someone who would know it was me when he kissed me? Someone who would make me feel that way, and I'd know that he was really thinking about me?

And then, as if I wasn't in enough pain, that BAKA had to go and twist the knife! I finally got home, and I came in the back door because I didn't want anyone to see I'd been crying. Which meant I walked right by the furoba. And what was that baka doing, just hours after he kissed me?

Hugging Shampoo! Both of them completely nude! In my house! That Chinese bitch he was supposed to send back to China! The one that he claimed he'd never had anything to do with as a boy before she showed up here the first time. Yeah, right. I'm sure she hops naked into the bath with every boy she's only met one time in her life. He didn't even try to come up with a good excuse!

Baka baka baka baka!!

**Ranma's Journal** : _Wed - 4 Jul_

That could have gone better.

I was tempted to skip writing tonight. I'd really rather forget that today happened at all. But I guess that wishing for it isn't going to make it happen.

Not just one but two things happened today which were both completely awkward. As in 12's on a scale of 1 to 10. Or maybe 20's. (Sigh) Why me?

I'll start with the last thing. Shampoo is back from China. Apparently she has a Jusenkyo curse now and - of all things why this? - she changes into a cat. She's a cute girl, but how do I tell her that she's just become an object from my worst nightmares? That would be bad enough, but no, she had to exceed herself in making a bad day worse. She jumped into the furo, in cursed form, while I was in it. Which meant I was paralyzed when she jumped in, and then afterward there she was all naked and hanging all over me. Then of course who should walk by and see us but Akane? She didn't even give me a chance to try to explain!

But if that was all I reckon I could deal with it. I mean, sure it's going to be awkward if Shampoo still thinks she's going to marry me. In fact, it's going to cause all sort of trouble. But I think I can deal with her. Hell, the attention is even kind of nice, as long as she doesn't get too serious about thinking I'll marry her. Eventually I'd probably get Akane to listen to reason about what happened.

Except that's not all. I went into the neko-ken today. All because of that creep Gosunkugi. Apparently, I scratched up pop pretty good from the look of him. But, I didn't attack Akane. Oh no. I had to go and do something much worse.

I kissed her.

I don't remember it. Dammit, I don't! I never remember anything when that happens! I kissed Akane, and I don't remember it!

I didn't believe it at first, but somehow Ryoga of all people had a photograph. Of me kissing Akane. Boy you'd better believe he was pissed off. Even worse, I was feeling guilty, and too busy worrying what Akane might be thinking to deal with him. He got in some pretty good shots, and after him it was Kuno's turn, and even he managed to land some hits. So I stopped by the doc's place for some help and who should be there? Akane, of course.

I tried to apologize. I know she wouldn't want me kissing her. She figured I remembered it, so I had to explain I found out later, that I didn't remember. That's when she blew her top. She thinks it had nothing to do with her, that I'd have kissed anyone. Then she booted me out of there. I left the clinic hurt worse than when I went in.

Why did the cat think I'd like Akane like that? She's made it pretty clear how she feels about me. I don't like her either. I can't like her. I can't let myself. You let yourself get that close to someone and all you're doing is asking to get hurt. If she's not going to like me, then I'm for damn sure not going to like her.

And if the cat thinks otherwise, that's too damn bad.

**Akane's Journal** : _Thu - 5 Jul_

I'm still mad at him. I am not going to forgive him about this. I don't care how many times he gives me that lost look of his! The nerve of him, carousing in the bathing room in my house and then acting like there's nothing wrong!

As if that wasn't enough to make me mad, all the girls at school kept asking me about yesterday, when Ranma kissed me. On and on and on about it. Even Yuka and Sayuri. Wanting to know if it was really our first kiss, and how often we kiss, and what kind of kisser he is, and whether we've done more than kiss, and, and, and I can't even repeat in my journal some of the things they asked me!

Why couldn't I have an ordinary life? An ordinary family, with a mother, an ordinary school where I could learn without perverts or people attacking me, an ordinary boyfriend someday, who would make an ordinary marriage proposal and we'd raise an ordinary family. Is it too much to ask for - normal?

Except - I want to be a martial artist too. The best martial artist, or at least the best I can be. I guess that's not so normal for a girl my age, is it? It means dealing with the things people expect martial artists to help with. Things like monsters, and occasional troublemakers. That's the life I signed up for, when I decided I wanted to be a real martial artist. That's the life I want.

So I suppose being normal is just - a fantasy.

But did I have to have a fiancé who lives in the same house, turns into a girl, sometimes thinks he's a cat, and makes out with other girls naked in our furoba?!

**Ranma's Journal** : _Thu - 5 Jul_

So I tried to talk to Akane before school, about last night. About Shampoo. (Grumble) Tomboy didn't even listen to me. Just changed me into a girl and kicked me away. Why am I even trying? Get this - when she did that to me, she was also saying the business with Shampoo didn't bother her. Something tells me she was lying when she said that.

A weird thing happened before I came back home to get ready for school. Some old woman came bouncing across the rooftops in my direction. I swear, she looked so old that I bet her grandchildren get senior citizen discounts. Tiny little thing too. I'd make two of her, even in my cursed form. She was carrying a staff that was taller than she was, and she took a swing at me with it! I dodged it of course, but what the hell was she up to?

The weirdest thing of all? Just before she ran off, she said, "You're not bad, son-in-law. We'll meet again!"

I mean, is that crazy or what? I know for damn sure I ain't married to anybody. I'd have to know that, right? So what was with that son-in-law crap. Besides, I was a girl at the time. How'd she know I was really a guy? I'm pretty sure I never met her before.

All I can think is that she mixed me up with someone else. Doesn't really explain how she knew I was a guy, but maybe she made a mistake. Tendo-san thought I was a boy that first day, now that I think of it, so I guess it's possible. I hope so, anyway, cause that means that 'meet again' business won't happen - I got enough weirdness in my life right now.

The day didn't get any better once school started. Everybody wanted to know about that kiss I'm supposed to have given Akane. Wish to hell I could remember it. The guys were the worst. Damn bunch of perverted jerks. You'd think they'd know Akane by now, so how the hell do they imagine she and me would be doing those kinds of things? We ain't even kissed yet! Oops - I take that back. I guess we have. But I don't remember it, so it doesn't count!

I'm back. I went and dug out that photo Ryoga had of me and Akane kissing. I still have trouble believing it, even when I see it. The cat's always been nice or mean to the people I like or I'm fed up with. So why did it kiss Akane? In any case, I don't want to leave this thing lying around, so I'm going to tuck it between the pages here. I figure that'll be safest.

**Akane's Journal** : _Fri - 6 Jul_

School was just as bad today. Don't those girls have anything better to gossip about? Why aren't they talking about Midori-sensei? According to Nabiki, the reason she quit last month is that she and the guy she was dating are going to have a kid. Or that pair of seniors, what's their names, that Nabiki said spent some time together in a closet at a party a week or so ago on a dare. Why does everyone care so much about Ranma giving me a kiss? I know why I care about it, but why can't everyone else leave me alone?

The Chinese bitch hasn't been around since Wednesday night. I'd almost think it was a dream, or a nightmare, except I'm pretty sure I'm not that lucky. She's probably waiting for a good chance to let me catch her and Ranma fooling around again.

Ranma tried to tell me it was all an accident. That she seems to have a curse as well and came in as a cat and jumped into the furo and changed back into a girl, and he was still so scared because of the cat that he couldn't get away before I showed up. I told him that if he was going to come up with some story, he could do better than that. Oh damn. I am not crying. I want - I wish I could believe him, but - how can I believe something as stupid as that?

**Ranma's Journal** : _Sat - 7 Jul_

I didn't even know what today was until pop hauled out a kimono for me and told me to put it on. He said me and Akane were going to the Weaver's Festival, something about getting us together. I told him the hell with that! I ran off and I kept running. Made sure I stayed away and out of his sight until supper time.

Kind of funny - I found out at supper that Akane did the same thing. Her dad said something to her about it this morning, and she ran off and hid out at a friend's house all day. We actually shared a laugh at putting one over on both our pops. I wonder - I doubt she's forgiven me over that Shampoo business yet, or the kiss - but maybe, just maybe she's going to get over being mad at me, even if she don't forgive me. It'd be good if things weren't as tense as they have been the last few days.

Speaking of Shampoo - where is she? Not that I want her to cause more trouble, but after Wednesday night - well, it just seems odd that she seems to have disappeared again. I'm feeling nervous just thinking about it. I wonder if it would help to pray that she stays disappeared?

* * *

**Author's note:**

Next up, the Saotome's and Tendo's learn about Cologne, the Nekohanten, Shampoo's curse, and her plan to marry Ranma. Mousse arrives, and Ranma gets stuck as a girl.

I have finished the initial draft of my next long story, _Fighting Chance_, which currently stands at eleven chapters and a bit over one hundred thousand words. I need to do some rewriting, but it shouldn't be a terribly long time before I'm able to start posting chapters. I may or may not post another chapter of _Side by Side_ before then, but will certainly post a chapter or few of SbS before the final chapter of _Fighting Chance_ appears.

_Related sites on the web:_ Please visit my profile page for information on upcoming chapters or stories, by clicking on my name at the top of this chapter. My profile also has links to my web site, LiveJournal site and forum. The web site contains the official versions of my stories. The LiveJournal site provides updates on what I am working upon at any given time. The forum is a place to discuss my stories or _Ranma 1/2_ in general.


End file.
